


the engagement

by eriklensherrific



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Azula (Avatar) Redemption, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gay Panic, M/M, Mutual Pining, PLATONIC zutara only, Slow Burn, absolutely oblivious gay idiots, my two himbos in love <3
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-08
Updated: 2020-12-16
Packaged: 2021-03-04 18:00:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 19
Words: 38,961
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25140508
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/eriklensherrific/pseuds/eriklensherrific
Summary: Following the 100 Year War, the nations have finally made peace with one another. All that's left to complete is an alliance between the nations of opposite elements and mosts tumultuous relationships: the Water Tribes and Fire Nation. While Princess Yue of the Northern Water Tribe was sent to marry Crown Prince Lu Ten following Fire Lord Iroh's successful coup, staged hand in hand with the help of Avatar Aang. Now, it's the South's turn to join the nations by marrying Prince Zuko and Katara, daughter of Chief Hakoda. There's only one problem, though: Neither of them want to go through with it.
Relationships: Aang/Katara (Avatar), Sokka/Zuko (Avatar)
Comments: 203
Kudos: 512





	1. the general welcomes his prince

**Author's Note:**

> hey ya'll! there is absolutely no reason for me to write this besides the fact that i just got my wisdom teeth out so i have nothing better to do lol. this fic is partially inspired by '(do you take this jerk to be) your one and only' by jatersade, especially in terms of sokka being zuko's mentor. i love that fic with my whole body but this is my interpretation of what atla would look like in a more diplomatic and political context. 
> 
> i'm not totally sure where this will all go (which is probably not a great writing strategy) but i do have some general plot ideas that i wanna see bc zukka iconic and i love them. basically i j really want to see my fav two himbos grapple with an arranged marriage. 
> 
> enjoy!

Sokka hated seeing his sister unhappy. Sure, he'd tease her and fight with her as a brother  normally does, but at the end of the day he never wanted to see her unhappy. That was exactly what he saw the morning her _betrothed_ was to arrive in the Southern Water Tribe capital city of Kirima. Even thinking the word 'betrothed' made Sokka uncomfortable. He turned to face his sister who was adorned in the finest warm dress the seamstresses of the city could make. Her hair was styled in its usual looped fashion, but her normal three strand braid was far more intricate than he was used to. Carved pearls of animal bone dotted edges of the braid, making Katara look like her hair was growing pearls itself. Her face was pinched to give her a blushed appearance and wax had been brushed into her eyelashes to make her seem longer and fuller, though her eyes were puffy from hours of crying. Her lips, standing still and emotionless, had been painted with read warrior paint. In her bedroom, the air was cold and empty. 

“Katara, you don’t have to do this.” Sokka said. “You don’t have to marry some gross Fire Nation prince to keep the peace. We can still talk to Dad and—“

“No, Sokka.” Katara interrupted sternly, her face remaining cold and emotionless. “You know we don’t have any other choice. The treaties and agreements and everything all say that the Fire Nation has wronged us the most, and the only way to fix it is to ally our nations. This has been four years coming and I knew it was only a matter of time. ”

Sokka didn’t like seeing his baby sister like this at all. Not only was she unhappy, but she didn’t seem like herself. The Katara he knew was passionate, fiesty, and stubborn; she refused to betray her values even if it meant breaking tradition. The Katara in Sokka’s memory forced Master Pakku of their sister tribe to teach her to waterbend (even though the North had forbidden female waterbending warriors), trained until she became a master warrior and healer, found the Avatar frozen in iceberg four year ago, and freed him. 

“What about Aang?” Sokka asked. Katara’s expression darkened.

“What about him?” She said exasperatedly while gazing onto the horizon, awaiting the arrival of a Fire Nation ship. 

“C’mon, this isn’t like you at all!” Sokka’s frustration with the situation was rising. “You love Aang don’t you? Ever since you became his waterbending master and everything, you won’t be with him?”

“It’s not that simple. You know how much I love…” Sokka could tell that she could barely bring herself to say his name. “Him. You know how much I love him, especially after everything we’ve been through. You don’t even understand how badly I want to be with him, have a future together. But it can never happen.

“Why not?”

“Because I have a duty to serve my people and keep them safe. You of all people should understand this, _General_ ” Katara said bitterly. Sokka shifted uncomfortably, knowing she was right. Following the end of the war and the repopulation of the Water Tribes, Chief Hakoda had appointed his children to the High Council of the Southern Water Tribe. Sokka, the warrior and strategist was made General of the South’s military power as well as the holder of the Defense Council seat. Katara became the South’s waterbending master at just fourteen as she returned with Avatar Aang. 

_Oh, Aang. Poor guy._ Sokka thought. Aang had traveled the world with Katara four years ago as he fulfilled his destiny of restoring balance back to the world, taking away Fire Lord Ozai’s bending with the help of Iroh’s coup. They had been through so much together. Katara was the one to find Aang in the iceberg and teach him waterbending. She helped reason with his childishness at first while he kept her temper from hurting people. They were a perfect match and they knew that four years ago as they traveled the Earth Kingdom, Fire Nation, and Air Temples. Katara had told Sokka that she and Aang bonded over losses; while Katara and Sokka lost their mother to a fire nation raid, forcing them to assume leadership positions at age eight and ten, Aang lost his entire people. They bonded in grief and friendship. Sokka could only imagine how Aang felt, having to stick around for diplomatic reasons but watch the girl that he loved get into an arranged marriage. 

“I heard Crown Prince Lu Ten is kind and noble. When Yue writes to me, she writes highly of him. Maybe Prince Zuko is like him” Katara broke the silence.

“Or, maybe that Zoopy guy—”

“ _Zuko.”_ Katara corrected.

“Whatever,” Sokka said. “Or, maybe he’s exactly like Ozai; a psychotic, power-hungry, sadistic piece of Fire Nation trash who wants to throw the world out of balance again!”

Katara shook her head. “Don’t be ridiculous, Sokka. Prince Zuko _helped_ his uncle with the coup. Especially after what Ozai did to him.”

“Wait, what did he do to the Prince?” 

“Spirits, you really live under a rock, don’t you?” Katara chuckled. That was the first time Sokka had seen her smile all day. “Well, it's more of a rumor anyway. Some say the Prince had challenged Ozai to a fire duel and lost badly. Some say he got in a training accident. Either way, I’ve heard he’s got one nasty scar on his eye.”

“Sounds like a real stud.” Sokka grumbled. Suddenly, he heard footsteps behind them. Standing behind them was Aang, dressed in his traditional Air Nomad clothing in the biting cold. Over the years, Aang had become quite the man. When Aang met the Souther Water Tribe four years ago, he was nothing but a twelve year old Airbender who ran away. Now, he had grown a full head above Katara and Sokka, his voice depended to that of a wise young man, and the beginnings of a dark brown beard were beginning to appear on his chin. He was visibly young, but his eyes carried the lifetimes of thousands before him. 

“Hey, Sokka. Hey, swee-I mean Sifu Katara.” Aang sounded less happy than usual. Normally, Sokka would get annoyed with Aangs unrelenting happiness and optimism. But today, he just felt bad for the young Avatar. 

“Hey, buddy.” Sokka replied, trying to be as nice as possible. “What can I do for him?”

“I’m sorry to interrupt but I was just wondering if I could speak to Katara for a moment?” He looked at Katara quickly. “As long as it’s alright with you, Sifu.”

Katara smiled gently and nodded. Sokka left the two standing at the window of the bedroom. He pretended not to hear his sister weep softly as the boy she had fallen in love with so long ago told her how he would always love her no matter the circumstance, how she was his universe. 

That evening, just as the sun was beginning to set, the fire nation ship arrived. At the dock, a whole crowd waited. Nearly every citizen of Kirima stood patiently waiting for the prince to exit the ship, Sokka noted, along with the members of the High Council, Chief Hakoda, Katara, and the ever-diplomatic universal representative Aang. He caught his sister and the avatar exchange a sad look. 

The crowd cheered as the prince and his entourage descended from the ship. The prince stood at the center and when Sokka looked at him he barely seemed real. His black hair was in a rather loose bun at the top of his head, head in place by a gold fire-nation insignia. His skin was pale and smooth, with the exception of the scar on his eye that Katara described. A shiver went down Sokka’s spine just looking at it, knowing it was a marking that carried pain and anguish. His other eye was an unusual shade of amber, one that Zuko had never seen in the South Pole before. Despite wanting to hate him with every fiber of his being, Sokka couldn’t deny the fact that this prince was inhumanly handsome. He looked like he could have the world on its feet but would be a respected leader, maybe even loved. Yet, the prince’s expression was emotionless like Katara’s as he approached the Water Tribe. 

At the prince’s side stood three women: One, who almost looked like Aang with her round face and gray eyes. She walked down the ramp with a distinct spring in her step and pink fur coat that distinguished her from her peers. The tall woman right next to her had stark black hair and skin even paler than the prince’s. Her hair was neatly let down with two buns on either side, framing her sharp face. Her apathetic expression was the most noticeable trait of hers among the red and gold robes she wore. 

On the prince’s other side was the most intimidating woman Sokka had ever seen in his life, and he had seen the Warriors of Kyoshi when they came to visit Aang and Katara as a thank you for saving Kyoshi Island from a Fire Nation raid. Those ladies were scary, but this girl was terrifying and stunningly beautiful. She looked a little like the prince, with the same unusual amber eyes, pale skin, and black hair. The only difference was her outfit; unlike the rest of the entourage, who were dressed in warm clothes to accommodate the temperatures of the South Pole, this woman was dressed in battle armor. She looked to be about Katara’s age, yet her eyes seemed less cold and in control when compared to the prince, like she had experienced years of torment. 

The entourage finally met with that of the Southern Water Tribe. Chief Hakoda greeted them with his booming voice. 

“Greetings, Fire Nation brothers and sisters,” He bowed. “Thank you for joining us to unite our nations once and for all. I am Chief Hakoda, leader of the Southern Water Tribe.”

“It is a pleasure and an honor to be your guests,” the prince bowed back. Sokka still couldn’t quite remember his name. (Was it Zoro? Zopo? Zukki?). “On behalf of all of the Fire Nation, I extend my warmest gratitude to the Southern Water Tribe for your hospitality and kindness. I am Prince Zuko, son of Ursa, nephew of Fire Lord Iroh.”

The way the words came out of Prince Zuko’s mouth like he had been rehearsing them for hours didn’t sit right with Sokka. It didn’t seem genuine or human at all. He also mused as to why he only listed his mother’s name. Then he remembered the rumor Katara had told him about and he felt sick to his stomach. 

“The honor is all mine, your highness,” Hakoda continued. “These are my children: Sokka, General of our Warriors and Defense Council Seat.” He motioned to Sokka who stared awkwardly in Zuko’s face. _Damn, he’s even prettier up close._ Sokka thought. _There is no way that he’s an actual human and not a robot._

Prince Zuko extended a handshake to Sokka, which Sokka took hesitantly. His hands were surprisingly warm. Most of the time, it was impossible to be without gloves in the South Pole for more than a few minutes without your hands and fingers getting very cold at best (or falling off at worst). Yet, the prince’s hands felt as if he had just lifted them from a fire. 

“General Sokka, it is an honor to meet the great leader of the Southern Water Tribe’s great Warriors. My uncle has told me stories of your legendary tactical prowess”. Prince Zuko said, still rather emotionlessly but Sokka could still detect a hint of respect. 

“Uh, thanks, buddy.” Sokka didn’t know how to respond to the son of the Ozai, the man whose regime was based on ethnic cleansing and genocide. To hear the heir of this legacy sing such respect of what Ozai’s regime thought to be savagery made Sokka beyond skeptical. 

Hakoda shot his son a look that said _Did you seriously just call the prince ‘buddy’?._ Sokka felt a little embarrassment, but to him it felt warranted. What were you supposed to say to the guy who’s defended from the man responsible for so much pain and suffering but also happens to be marrying your little sister? _If this guy’s gonna be my brother in law_ , Sokka thought, _He might as well get used to me not kissing his ass every hour of every day._

“And this, as you already know, is my daughter Katara. She is not only our tribe’s water bending master and healer, she is the reason Avatar Aang returned to the world! Step forward, my dear.” Hakoda motioned for Katara to step forward, and she did. It was still weird for Sokka to see his sister be so obedient when he knew deep down all she wanted was to be anywhere but here. 

“It is my most esteemed honor to meet you, Master Katara” the prince put emphasis on recognizing her as a bending master before he lightly pressed a kiss onto her hand. Katara turned the shade of her lipstick as her eyes darted to meet Aang’s before returning to Prince Zuko. 

“And you as well, your highness. I—” Katara’s breath caught for a moment. “I look forward to uniting our peoples and ending this conflict once and for all.”

After a long introduction of each High Council members and Prince Zuko introduced his entourage it was finally time to eat. Sokka sat down with relief as they feasted on traditional Water Tribe delicacies; Seal Jerky, Sea-Prawn soup, and so much more adorned the long table inside the palace inside which Sokka and his family lived. 

Amongst the chatter, Sokka leaned over to his sister. “Are you doing okay?” He asked. 

Katara nodded quickly as she piled more food onto her plate, attempting to get out of the conversation. Prince Zuko sat on her other side silently. 

Across the table, the three women (which Prince Zuko had described as his royal guards) chattered amongst themselves. The bubbly bouncy once was Ty Lee, Sokka remembered, a former circus performer who was a master a chi-blocking. The tall one was Mai, who only seemed to show any semblance of a smile when Ty Lee spoke to her. The scary one was Princess Azula, Zuko’s sister and head of Zuko’s personal guard. She kept her eyes fixated on Zuko and Katara. 

Even more weird, Sokka occasionally caught Prince Zuko staring right at him, as if he was being studied. The prince would quickly look away sometimes, but sometimes his gaze would stay glued to Sokka. 

Finally, the night concluded. Hakoda tasked Katara to lead the ladies of Prince Zuko’s entourage to a bedroom that was reserved for all three of them. 

“Ooh! This is gonna be so much fun! It’ll be like one big sleepover.” Ty Lee mused as Katara led them to the room adjacent to hers.

“I guess it’s fine. If you like it, Ty Lee.” Mai muttered loud enough for only a few to hear. 

Azula, on the other hand was not so pleased. “We just spent weeks at sea crammed together and I _still_ have to do that in this so called palace? Surely royalty would be treated better here.”

Sokka caught a glimpse of Katara as she led them off. Her eyes were full of rage at Azula’s comments. She looked like she could freeze the princess into a block of ice and send it into the arctic in a few seconds but she restrained herself as hard as she could. 

“Sokka, you will have the honor of sharing a room with Prince Zuko.” Hakoda said, snapping Sokka out of his gaze on Katara’s angry eyes and balled up fists. 

“Uh, what?” Sokka responded. “We have tons of room, why can’t he be in a separate one?”

“My son, it will do you good not to question commands as trivial as these.” Hakoda said in a firm, hushed, but understanding voice. “Besides, if you and Prince Zuko are to be brothers, you will need to bond. That’s why I’ve assigned you to train him in the ways of our people.”

Sokka’s heart stopped for a second. _That was never part of the deal._ He wondered angrily. Still, he had to keep up good appearances for his father, his people, his tribe.

“Fine.” Sokka rose a bit too quickly. “Come along, your royal highness, its time for beddy-by.”

Prince Zuko said nothing as he rose from his chair and followed Sokka to his room. Once again, Sokka pretended he didn’t see the prince study him carefully as he walked, not once removing his eyes from him. 


	2. the general gives a grand tour

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! thank you so much for such a positive response!! its been two years since ive last written a fic so im wierdly both rusty but a much better writer than i was before i graduted high school. hopefully the next few chapters will be a bit longer and they will eventually switch perspectives bc mutual pining is cute. you can differentiate the perspectives of the chapter by the name: the general is sokka, the prince is zuko (obvs), the waterbending master is katara, and the avatar is aang (double obvs).

Sokka reluctantly led Prince Zuko to the room that they’d be sharing. 

_I cannot believe I have to share a room with Prince McSilentScar… AND take care of his training to adapt him to Southern Water Tribe customs._ Sokka thought angrily, spitting out each word in his head like they were made of rotten kelp. 

“Here we are, Pretty Boy,” Sokka opened the door into his bedroom. He was sure it wasn’t huge like Fire Nation rooms (of which he had only seen lavish paintings brought home as souvenirs by Aang). Yet, he felt a sense of pride as he stepped into his weapon-adorned bedroom. This was the first bedroom he ever had to himself following the end of the war. 

“I thank you once again for you and your tribe’s hospitality, General.” Zuko said softly but sternly. It made Sokka a little uncomfortable to only be addressed as ‘General’. Sure, that was his official title but even most of the High Council members had known him since he was born, so they simply called him Sokka. 

“Um,” was all that Sokka could manage for a moment. “Yeah, no problem. Anyway, take your time to get all settled and whatever. There’s some light layer stuff for you to sleep in on the chair. I’ll bring our best cot for you to sleep on but first I have to go and speak with my fath— I mean the Chief.”

Prince Zuko nodded and began to unpack his things, brought quickly to him by a band of volunteers from outside the palace. He still said nothing. Sokka wondered how a guy his age kept his mouth shut all the time, as if he was beaten into submission. Then Sokka remembered the scar on the prince’s eye and left hurriedly before he could think about it more. 

As Sokka traveled down the corridor to his father’s study, he heard what sounded like Katara’s laughter. It was big and free and joyful, just like he remembered his little sister. Sokka smiled to himself silently. For her to be laughing this hard, she must be with Aang. Only he would make her smile and cackle like that. 

Reaching the study, Sokka knocked on the door and waited before Hakoda emerged, still clearly very awake and very busy. 

“What is it, Sokka?” The Chief asked. He was clearly tired but working late on some treaty or trade agreement. That’s what he had been doing every night since the war ended. 

“I have a complaint to lodge, Dad.” Sokka made his way into the warm study. “A complaint of royal proportions.”

Hakoda sighed. “Sokka, my son, I volunteered you to be Prince Zuko’s cultural guide, combat trainer, and mentor because you know our tribe better than anyone.”

“Pfft. What about the elders?”

“The elders can’t walk more than a few feet.”

“Right. I mean, Dad, I appreciate you thinking so highly of me and stuff but why couldn’t you have told me this _before_ everyone got here?” Sokka plopped down on the feather stuffed chair in frustration.

“Because,” Hakoda explained. “I knew you wouldn’t accept the job if I told you earlier. And I knew that, as much as you wanted to, you wouldn’t make a scene if I made you take the position in front of people.”

_Well, shit._ Sokka thought. _He’s right._

“I’m right, aren’t I?” Hakoda smiled, as if he could read his son’s mind. 

“Yeah, yeah, you’re right. But what am I training him for anyway?” Sokka asked. 

“The rite of passage that makes any Southern Water Tribe citizen an adult.” Hakoda said.

“You don’t mean—”

“Oh, I mean.” The Chief interrupted. “At some point, he will need to successfully Ice Dodge so he can become an honorary member of our tribe before he can even propose to Katara. Even more important than that, you must teach him out customs. Our geography, culture. Everything about our tribe.”

Sokka groaned. “But that’s gonna take months!” 

“All good things take time.” Hakoda smiled at his son again, this time a weaker and more tired smile. “I know you’re worried about your sister. Don’t think I didn’t hear an earful from her before she agreed to the arrangement! But Katara is eighteen now. She’s a masterbender and healer. She’s the avatar’s closest confidant. She is doing this because she knows what is right for her people.”

That last line hurt Sokka a little more than he wanted. “What, are you suggesting I _don’t_ know what’s right for my people?”

“I’m suggesting that sometimes you and your sister have the same problem: you let your own personal beliefs cloud your judgment and impede you from acting in the best interest of the tribe.” Hakoda reasoned.

Sokka scoffed. “Please, I’ve always put the tribe’s needs ahead of my own. I’m just worried about Katara, that’s all.”

“Your brotherly worried is appreciated, my son, but Katara is an adult. She can handle herself.” Sokka figured there was no use arguing anymore. His father was absolutely sure this was the right thing to do. 

“Fine.” Sokka said. “I’ll train the Royal Pain. We start first thing tomorrow morning.”

“Thank you, Sokka. Also, please stop name-calling the Prince Regent of the Fire Nation.”

“Not gonna happen. Goodnight, Dad.”

Sokka grumbled back into his room, muttering curses under his breath. Prince Zuko sat cross-legged on his cot in his make-shift pajamas that were just a tad bit too small. 

For the first time since his arrival, the prince broke the thick silence in the room. “So, how was your meeting with the Chief?”

“None of your business, Pretty Boy.” Sokka snapped. It came off rather harsh, but he didn’t care. 

“I suppose we’re to be brothers-in-law now?” Prince Zuko asked again. This time he didn’t completely sound sure of himself, as if he didn’t even want to be here either. That struck a nerve with Sokka. Who wouldn’t want to marry his sister? Sure, she didn’t want to marry the prince, but she was worth so much more excitement and joy. _This dumb prince should be grateful he’s marrying my baby sister._ Sokka’s thoughts raged.

“I suppose so, but let me make one thing very clear to you, your _highness._ ” The words came out of Sokka’s mouth like rocks on fire. He sat down across from the prince, inches away from his face. “Katara is doing our tribe a favor by marrying your sorry ass. She is sacrificing her happiness for her people. And if, by some miracle by Tui and La, she actually grows to love you, and you think about hurting her? I assure you, the leaders of our nations will be the least of your worries. If you so much as _think_ about harming my little sister in any way, the Warriors will make you disappear. I swear on all the spirits in the spirit world that if you do anything that brings her pain, I will throw your body off of the mountain and make it look like an accident. The Avatar is not a violent man, but if you even think for one second about hurting her, he will take away your bending and I will help him throw you to the bottom of the Antarctic myself. Do I make myself clear?”

Prince Zuko said nothing. 

“I said,” Sokka raised his voice a little. “ _Do I make myself clear?_ ”

“Yes, General.” Prince Zuko said. His gold eyes met Sokka’s blue eyes for a moment before darting back to the floor. 

“Goodie.” Sokka got up towards his bed. “Now get some sleep, Pretty Boy. I’m giving you a tour of Kirima first thing tomorrow. And just call me Sokka, calling me ‘General’ feels weird.”

Angrier than ever, Sokka went to sleep and dreamt of nothing at all. 

At the earliest crack of dawn, Sokka put on his warmest clothes. He looked down at the prince, who was still fast asleep in the cot, along with his array of clothes he brought from the Fire Nation. _None of those will be warm enough._ Sokka thought. _Ugh, time to go shopping._

The only way Sokka could think of waking up the prince was giving him a good old smack upside the head with a boot, but he figured his father would not be too pleased to hear that he had graduated from name-calling to physical assault. So, like any mature adult, Sokka decided to find a compromise and wake up Prince Zuko by poking him with a stick.

“Wakey-wakey, Prince Charming,” Sokka announced, nudging Prince Zuko in the face with the blunt end of his spear, “Its time for your grand tour of the city.”

Prince Zuko just groaned in response. “What time is it?” He managed. 

“Doesn’t matter,” Sokka poked him a bit harder now. “You and I have a lot of work to do today.”

“Just a few more minutes?” 

“Nope. Man up, Prince Zuko, you’re gonna need to know this city inside and out if you’re gonna marry my sister.”

The prince looked stunned for a moment. “That’s the first time you’ve said my name before.” 

Sokka felt his ears get red for some reason. “Well don’t get used to it, I think my nicknames for you are much more fitting.”

“If it’s alright with you, General,” Prince Zuko sat up. Sokka shot him a look. “I mean Sokka. If it’s alright with you, just Zuko is fine.”

“Fine, Pretty Boy, whatever you say. Now get up and get dressed because before we hit the city, we gotta buy you some new boots.” Sokka pointed to the rather pointy traditional Fire Nation shoes Zuko had arrived in.

“What’s wrong with my boots?” Zuko grumbled as he began to put on a coat.

“Uh, everything.” Sokka said. “First of all, they’re so pointy that they make you look like an elf with anger issues.”

“No, they don’t.”

“Yeah they do!” Sokka liked teasing Zuko. It gave him the warm fuzzies. “More importantly, they’re not warm enough. The snow will soak through them in a matter of minutes and you’ll end up with hypothermia.”

“Firebenders can’t get hypothermia,” Zuko was almost fully dressed now. “We can control our body temperatures.”

Sokka pretended like he knew that. “No doy, but then why are you wearing the coat?”

“Uh…fashion?” Zuko turned a bit pink.

“No, dummy,” Sokka himself was fully dressed and heading out the door. “Because your fire bending can only go so far if you’re tired. The avatar has the same power as you, but he stays in his little robe year round because he’s been a master bender for over 100 years.”

As the boys head out of the room, Zuko muttered “Fine, I’ll get new boots.”

“Good. Now let’s go check out Kirima.” 

Passing down the hallway, everything was silent. How couldn’t it be, the sun had just barely risen? Zuko and Sokka left the palace and descended into the city in complete silence. The sunrise shown over the hundreds of huts and buildings, reflecting off of ice and snow so that even the snow seemed orange. 

Finally, Zuko broke the silence. “Your city is very beautiful.”

Sokka held back a smile. “Yep. Home sweet home. First thing’s first, we need new boots. Preferably ones that don’t make you look like an elf.”

They approached a small store where most of the city’s residents bought their boots. Sokka handed the merchant a few coins to help fit Zuko into warmer, sturdier boots. They finally found a pair of dark blue ones that were the right size. 

“Do you think they make these in red?” Zuko asked quietly as they left the shop. Sokka shot him a look. “They look a little silly with my robes.”

_Typical Fire Nation,_ Sokka grumbled in his head. _So concerned about appearances and color dynamics._

“Okay, Prince Charming, let’s start with the basic layout of the Southern Water Tribe. I obviously can’t take you to the different states all over the South Pole, but I can break them down. This, is obviously Kirima, the capital city of the tribe. It was named that because we’re on a big old hill and Kirima means—you guessed it—a hill.” Sokka explained as they walked down the bustling street. Zuko nodded intently.

“While this state is the smallest in surface area, it’s the most densely populated of all the states. We have three other states that are huge, but only have a hundred people or so because of the landscape. Kirima is on the shore, north of all of them. There’s Kallik in the east, they tend to get a lot of dry lightning storms.”

At the word ‘lightning’, Zuko shifted uncomfortably, as if the word brought back bad memories. 

“Kanaaq, which means lower part of the leg, is in the south. Kanut is in the west, named after the white goose tortoises that populate the area. Any questions so far?” Sokka pulled out a map from his pocket, pointing to each of the states.

“Just one, how does the government work?” Zuko said as he studied the map. 

“Easy. Whichever state has the most people gets the most representatives on the High Council. Naturally Kirima has about five representatives including Katara and yours truly. Kallik sends the second most, then Kanut, then Kanaaq.” 

After hours of walking around the city, the sun was beginning to set. 

“Should we start to return to the palace?” Asked Zuko. Sokka rolled his eyes.

“Nope, I’ve got one more thing to show you.” Sokka grinned. “Follow me.”

Before Zuko could protest, Sokka raced through the street. The prince had to jog to keep up with him before they reached a secluded part of the harbor. On the rocks and piles of snow stood maybe ten polar bear dogs playing in the sunset-lit waters. 

“Woah” Zuko gasped. “This is beautiful.”

“Yep. Polar Bear Dog Bay. It’s my personal favorite part of the city.” Sokka mused, gazing over the beautiful ocean that was being kissed by the sun.

“I can see why.” Zuko’s amber eyes shone in this light. If Sokka didn’t want to punch him in the face every ten minutes for being so weird and quiet, he would’ve thought he was beautiful. 

“This is my home, Zuko.” Sokka said seriously. “If you’re gonna be apart of it, I need to know that you’re gonna protect it. Not only do you have to keep our people safe, you have to keep our land safe too.” 

“I swear it on the Spirit of Agni. I will do my best.” Zuko muttered. Sokka was taken aback by his sincerity. For a moment, he believed that Zuko was prepared to take on the responsibility of being the leader of his tribe. Just for a moment.“We better get back before it gets too dark.”

_Of course when you actually are a sincere human being who’s not a literal robot, you break it by being a wimp._ Sokka thought. 

“Yeah, whatever. Let’s go.” The boys ascended back to the palace, where Sokka had to remind himself that the Fire Prince was not his friend. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> this was so confusing to write bc ive got so many random plot points planned and now its just a matter of arranging them in a way that makes sense. anyway, i hope you enjoyed :) next two chapters will have some cute kataang stuff bc i love them and they do no wrong. your kudos and comments are, as always, greatly appreciated!!!


	3. the waterbending master remembers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thank you all again for such a positive response to the first two chapters! hopefully yall will stick with me for the next two chapters that are out of sokka's perspective lol. get ready for some kataang, bitches. enjoy :)

Katara paced around her bedroom as the light from the sunset colored her walls pink. She wanted to stop moving, to sit down and think, but she just couldn’t. The longer she sat still, the more she had to actually think about her life. 

Part of Katara was guilty. She had rescued the avatar four years ago and traveled the world with him. _She_ was the reason he mastered waterbending. _She_ was lucky enough to be alive, living with her family. Yet, she had the nerve to feel sorry for herself? After all, Yue married the Fire Nation’s Crown Prince for her people. He, as described in countless letters, was kind and honorable. Could Katara not handle being with another kind and honorable prince? 

Before she could stop herself, her mind returned to that quiet spring night in the Earth Kingdom. The night she realized she was in love with Aang.

_Gathered around the fire, Katara and Toph ate their respective custard pies they had bought from the market. Katara chuckled at Toph, whose face was speckled with spots of custard._

_“I’m gonna pretend that you aren’t laughing at me.” Toph scolded._

_“Sorry, sorry,” Katara wiped her own mouth. “You just reminded me of those kids in my tribe who always get sea prawn soup on their faces.”_

_“You sound like you miss home”_

_“I do.”_

_“And those little gremlins too.”_

_“Yeah, them too.” Katara moved her hand, guiding the water out of her canteen and into a wooden cup for Toph._

_“I don’t know if I could ever like kids as much as you do.” Toph said._

_“Well, a fortune teller did tell me that I was gonna have three of them. And a bunch more grandchildren. And that I’d die peacefully in my sleep after my third great-grandchild.” Katara recited pieces of Aunt Wu’s fortune._

_“That’s both super specific and kind of morbid. I like it.” Toph wiggled her toes on the dry earth below them. “Do you know who you’ll marry?”_

_“Why do you care?” Katara’s heart raced for a moment. “I thought you said all that magic mumbo-jumbo was a giant vat of hot garbage.”_

_“I never said that.”_

_“Yes, you most certainly did!”_

_“Fine, but fortune telling in the Earth Kingdom is a big deal. You don’t get things willy nilly here.” Toph’s feet continued to study the ground. By the look on her face, she could tell Katara was nervous about something._

_“Aunt Wu told me I’d marry a very powerful bender.” Katara finally admitted._

_“Huh.” Toph raised an eyebrow. “Do you know him already?”_

_“I don’t think so… I saw a few guys here and there when Aang and I first left the South Pole, but none of them were really powerful benders when I look back at it.”_

_“And you’re absolutely positively fully sure that you don’t know this guy now?” Toph’s lips formed into a small smile._

_“Yes!” Katara shot back. “What are you trying to tell me?”_

_“You know, Katara,” Toph reached out until she felt Katara’s shoulder. “For such a smart girl, you’re a real bonafide idiot.”_

_“Hey, I’m not—”_

_“Katara, you know a powerful bender. You’re his best friend.”_

_“I’m not following…”_

_“Wow. This is embarrassing for you. Aang is the powerful bender, dumbass.” Toph laughed._

_Katara didn’t believe her for a second. She always knew Aang was powerful (he is the avatar, after all), but she didn’t ever consider him someone to marry. Or did she? Now, she wasn’t sure anymore._

_“Think about it for a second.” Toph explained. “Don’t you think there’s a reason that Aang gushes about you to everyone all the time?”_

_Katara felt her cheeks get hot. “He does?”_

_“Yes! All the time! Sometimes it’s really annoying.” Toph said. “He’s so in love with you. And I think you may feel the same way about him too.”_

_“No, I don’t.” Katara said shortly._

_“Lie.” Toph could tell when people were lying to her._

_“I’m not lying!” Katara tried to explain. “Sure, he’s kind and gentle. And he respects me and my bending. And he respects my culture. And he’s like my best friend. And he brings me these cute little gifts sometimes and he trusts me. Ooh, and he’s actually really mature. I’m really proud of how much he’s grown. Plus, he really understands what it’s like to lose someone. He hasn’t made fun of me for talking about my mom, ever. He sticks up for me and supports me a lot too. Yeah, I mean he keeps me grounded and calm and Appa likes me too—uh oh.”_

_“There it is.” Toph sat back on the ground, satisfied._

_“Toph, I think you’re right.” Katara stared over at the avatar, playing around in the pond in front of them. “I think I’m in love with Aang.”_

_“Did somebody say my name?” Aang popped his head out of the water._

_“Nope! Nobody did! Keep swimming!” Katara said a little too quickly._

Katara was snapped out of her memory when she walked right onto the Par Sho board on her floor from her game with Aang last night. He had taught her how to play four years ago. One of the pointier pieces, the lotus tile, poked her right on the toe, provoking a string of curses. 

“You okay?” Aang’s gentle voice nearly made all the pain go away. “The door was open and I figured all the swearing came from you.”

Katara laughed softly. “Yeah, you got that right. I’m fine, I just stepped on the lotus tile, that’s all.”

Aang closed the door behind him before sitting next to Katara on her bed. He put an arm around her. “I told you we should’ve cleaned up the board before we went to bed.”

“Nope, you just wanted to forget that crushing defeat I delivered last night.” Katara looked at the avatar. _Her_ avatar. His five-o-clock shadow along his chin was growing darker. He no longer looked like the innocent boy Katara found in an iceberg. 

“If you say so.” Aang turned to face her. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

“Yeah, I just told you, its just a lotus tile.”

“No, not that.” Aang took Katara’s hand into his. “You seem like you got a lot on your mind. Wanna talk about it?”

Katara looked at him sadly. “What is there to talk about? Things aren’t any different than they were last night, Aang. I’m still being forced to marry some Fire Nation prince I don’t even know. And there’s nothing I can do.”

Katara tried to hold it together, but the tears soon began streaming down her face. She wasn’t just sad. She was angry. Angry crying was always the worst.

“I understand, my love.” Aang murmured as she cried into his chest. 

“I just—” Katara choked on her own breath for a moment. “I just feel so helpless and I _hate_ it. You know all I want is to be with you.”

“I know how much you hate that. Trust me, I do. It hasn’t been easy for me either, knowing you have to marry another man.” Aang ran his fingers through Katara’s hair wistfully.

“We could run away.” Katara suggested. “We could. We could go to the Earth Kingdom, Goaling. We could find Toph and it’d be just like the old days. Adventuring, saving the world. Together.”

Aang sighed. “Katara, you and I both know that we couldn’t ever do that. You barely kept it together when we left the first time. You would tear yourself apart and never forgive yourself. I don’t want to see you do that to yourself again.”

“You’re right,” Katara sniffled. “I have to do this.” She realized he hadn’t even mentioned how he couldn’t run away either; it was the avatar’s duty to protect the entire world, not just her. She only felt guiltier. 

_“_ Katara,” Aang took a big breath. “I need to tell you something.”

Katara’s heart sunk to hear stomach. “What?”

“I want you to know that if you end up marrying this Zuko guy, I’m never going to stop loving you. Before we even got together, we were best friends and I intend to stay that way. You are my entire world, my entire universe. You are my sun and my stars and my moon. You are the reason I’m here.” Aang held onto her tightly. “I know we may not ever be allowed to be together, but I wanted to give you this.”

Aang pulled a piece of leather and a stone from his pocket. A swirled carving of the Air Nomad crest combined with the waves of the Water Tribe crest covered the smooth blue stone. Katara’s jaw dropped. 

“A betrothal necklace?” Was all that Katara could manage.

Aang nodded. “Look, I know you can’t wear this in public or anything, so I’m not asking you to even wear it. All I ask is that you hold onto it. For us. You are the love of my life and I want you to know that.”

“Of course.” Katara put the necklace under the pillow. “I love it. And I love you. So much.”

She pressed a kiss onto Aangs lips as gently as she could. He smelled nice, like freshly washed sheets and a summer breeze. His stubbly almost-beard tickled her chin, making her smile. 

“Aang, I need you to promise me something.” The words barely escaped Katara’s mouth. 

“Anything, my love.” Aang held onto her hands tightly.

“Promise me that until this prince proposes, until I’m married, we stay together.” Katara looked into his gray eyes. They were so young, yet they carried a sadness of a thousand years. 

“I don’t want to dishonor you. What if people find out?”

“I don’t care. I will push of this stupid wedding as long as I have to. I can’t imagine being with anyone but you. Promise me, Aang.”

Aang paused. “I promise.”

“Thank you, sweetie. I love you. I love you so much.” Katara’s words faded into gibberish. She mumbled something to Aang along the lines of ‘Can you stay?’

Katara drifted off to sleep, held by the man that she loved, almost forgetting about the numbered days left on their time together. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ouch this one hurt to write. i definitely wanted to bring toph into this and im still figuring out if she'll come back for good. anyway, this made me sad as hell to write but hopefully yall like some fluffy angst in your life. find yourself someone who loves you like aang loves katara. thanks one more time for the support and love, it means the world! keep commenting and leaving kudos, it gives me so much serotonin. enjoy :)


	4. the avatar gets angry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi friends, this will be the last kataang ish chapter for a while, i just wanted to explore a bit of that relationship. don't worry, fellow zukka stans, there is much more to come :) enjoy!

Aang slipped out of Katara’s bedroom at sunrise, as he did most days. Today, he needed time to think more than ever. 

His palm illuminated with a little flame that lit his path down the corridor and out of the palace. At first, the air bit at his skin. Naturally, he adjusted the air around him until it was comfortable enough. After a few minutes, Aang reached the glacial landscape where he liked to meditate.

This morning, staying focused was rather difficult. _I am calm. I am kind. I am forgiving._ He thought to himself. The last one was hard to imagine. Aang tried so hard to be this positive, carefree, happy guy all the time. Yet, he was just so angry. First, his nation was wiped out. He never knew his parents but at the time, his closest friends were his mentors. And as if like clockwork, he lost them too. He still had Appa and Momo, his only reminders of his home. He was most angry about Katara.

He could never really be angry with her, but he still felt himself decline when he thought about the marriage. Katara was the person who made him feel at home, and he could now lose her to some guy from the Fire Nation. _Just like clockwork._

Aang’s breath quickened. As his chest rose and fall with such an increased pace, the waves at the base of the glacier began to crash harder. All around him, the snowy puddles formed into sharp, knives of ice while a small whirlwind gathered around his body. He could feel himself begin to lose control. 

“Long night?” A voice asked. It was Sokka. The wind returned to its normal pace and the icicles melted back into puddles. Slowly, the waves resumed their stillness. 

Aang nodded. “You could say that.”

“So,” Sokka planted himself next to Aang, slinging his bag over his shoulder. “Did she like the necklace?”

Sokka raised an eyebrow as he elbowed Aang a little. “Yeah, she really did.” Aang cracked a smile. He always appreciated how Sokka had grown to be so accepting of his relationship with his sister. 

“I’m sorry all this crazy shit is going down now, man.” Sokka said. “If it makes you feel any better, training Prince Jerkbender is really getting on my nerves. So you’re not alone.”

“Its been two days, how is he already getting on your nerves?” Aang asked.

Sokka shrugged. “I dunno, I just think Zuko is a dick.”

“I think you may be judging him a little harshly.”

Sokka rolled his eyes. “Oh come one, just indulge me and admit that he is a pompous asshole.”

“No, I will not.” As much as Aang wanted to hate this prince, he knew that Zuko likely didn’t want to do any of this either. “Seriously, why do you hate him so much?”

“He is a fake, condescending wimp who was raised with a stupid little silver spoon in his mouth!” Sokka said without any hesitation at all.

“I think he’s nice.” Aang smiled sadly at his hands. “He seems like he wants to do a good job.”

“Give me a break, buddy,” Sokka chuckled. “All that ‘Oh I’m so honored to be in your nation!’ is clearly just an act. He doesn’t mean any of it. He was just trained by his royal servants and hibblydibblies to say that. He doesn’t care about us.”

“I don’t think that’s true, Sokka. I don’t even think _you_ think that’s true.”

“Uh, I definitely think that’s true. Why are you even defending him?” Sokka looked thoroughly confused. “I mean, dude, you have pretty much every reason on the planet to hate his stupid royal guts.”

Aang sighed. “Because if I lived with that much resentment in my soul, I’m positive I’d be dead in like twenty years.”

Sokka laughed but Aang wasn’t kidding. “Seriously, harboring that much hatred for a person does bad things to you. I don’t want to lose any time with the people I love because I wasted some of it hating some guy.”

“So wise, so profound,” Sokka said sarcastically. “But don’t you ever get angry? Like as angry as you did a few minutes ago?

“Yeah, I do.” Aang nodded. “That’s a problem I have. I get so angry and bitter because I love Katara so much and I love you and I want a normal life, but it seems like whenever I get even the slightest bit closer to being happy, it all goes down the drain.”

“Well, that makes a lot of sense.”

“I don’t like that part of me at all.” Aang was embarassed, but he truly didn’t like how bitter he got. “Sometimes, the whole ‘I’m-the-last-airbender-avatar-and-I-must-be-nice-and-forgiving-all-the-time’ thing is exhausting.”

“Yeah, because you don’t let yourself get mad.” Sokka said. “You have to allow yourself to get pissed off and angry and bitter sometimes, otherwise you’ll just bottle it up and explode. Katara wouldn’t want you to explode. Neither would I.”

Aang managed a smile. “I guess you’re right.”

“I know I’m right.” Sokka dropped his bag onto Aang’s lap. “Which is why I made you these.”

Aang opened the bag to see at least twenty small clay bowls. Well, ‘bowls’ would be a very loose description of what they actually were. They were more like little misshapen clay lumps that more closely resembled piles of Appa’s poop than anything else. Aang knew Sokka was never an incredible artist, but man, these were just so ugly looking.

“Um,” Aang forced a smile. “These are great, Sokka. I’ve been looking for some bowls to put my…um….beads in?”

“Don’t worry Aang, you can say it. They are ugly” Sokka admitted.

Aang sighed in relief. “Thank goodness, because these are quite possibly the ugliest pieces of clay I’ve ever seen in my life. And I am 116.”

“Alright, buddy, no need to lay in _that_ deep.” Sokka took one of the little trinkets out of the bad. “I’m giving them to you so you can let your anger out without getting all ‘avatar-state’ on me.”

Aang smiled. “Really?”

“You said it yourself, man, these are very sad looking pieces of pottery. The only proper send of for them is to destroy them.” 

“And to burn the ashes and pray they don’t haunt you forever…” Aang muttered.

“I most certainly heard that.” Sokka stood up. “So whaddya say, Aang? Wanna go huck these little fuckers at some big rocks?”

Aang felt like a little kid again. “I really do.”

They each picked up a deformed piece of pottery before taking turns absolutely demolishing it against the rocks in the ocean. With each piece of terribly made clay disintegrating, he felt himself finally release his frustration about his life. When the bag was finally empty, Aang felt a relief he hadn’t felt in a while.

“Thank you for doing this, Sokka.” Aang gave his best friend a hug.

“Anytime, buddy.” Sokka smacked him real hard on the shoulder. “And remember, you’re more of a brother to me than Prince Charming will ever be.”

Aang gave him a look. “Wow, so many nicknames for a guy with a four-letter name.”

“I try my best.”

“I can see that. Can you do me a favor?”

“Sure.”

“Keep that prince on his toes for a little bit? I want as much time with Katara as possible.” Aang looked out at the horizon, suddenly peaceful for the first time in days.

Sokka grinned wickedly. “It would be my absolute pleasure.”

“But don’t forget to be a little nicer to the poor guy?” Aang asked. “Maybe think of ways to help him instead of ogling at him and calling him names?

Sokka turned bright red. “I do _not_ ogle at Zuko.”

Aang snorted. “Oh, you absolutely do. Admit that you think he’s good looking.”

“Fine, his face looks like it was sculpted by every kind spirit that ever was. You happy now?” Sokka muttered.

“Yes, I am.” Aang turned to walk back to the palace.

“And for the record,” Sokka continued, pretending to not be embarrassed. “The fact that he’s so damn perfect looking only makes me hate him more.”

“Whatever you say, _General._ ” Aang teased.

“I’m serious! Pretty looking douchebags make life so much harder for us guys who are both strikingly handsome _and_ have absolutely golden personalities.” Sokka chased after his friend, who couldn’t help but laugh at his friend’s obvious attraction to the guy he claimed to hate so much. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i hope you enjoyed reading this short chapter as much as i enjoyed writing it. my absolute favorite part was writing thirsty sokka. for that i take 0 criticism. the next few chapters will all be from either zuko or sokka's pov so zuko stans get ready to rise up. as always, kudos and comments are highly appreciated :)


	5. the prince saves a life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> its finally zuko time baby :) i really enjoyed writing this chapter, so i hope you enjoy it :)

Zuko couldn’t sleep again. He just sat in his cot on the floor of Sokka’s bedroom, staring at the ceiling. I had been like this every night since he left the Fire Nation. He’d lay awake for hours before finally getting a few precious minutes asleep before being shaken awake. During the journey to the South Pole, it was often Azula who would wake him in the middle of the night. She would tell him of her nightmares about their parents or about the war. 

Zuko thought about Azula a lot when he couldn’t sleep. 

For years, Fire Lord Ozai manipulated her and brought out the worst in her. He capitalized over the fact that their mother Ursa had favored Zuko, showering her with praise over her sadistic tendencies. When Ursa disappeared, Azula was only eight. The confusion and pain over losing her mother caused her to spiral, craving her father’s approval of her violence to replace the love she never felt. Four years ago, during the coup, Azula was given a choice. She could either defend her father or join the resistance with her uncle. Zuko remembered the day clearly.

_Zuko walked into the the throne room, where Azula sat in front of a shattered mirror. Her hair was chopped and hacked into chunks on her head. Her eyes darted around the room while tears streamed down her cheeks. When she noticed her brother, she quickly wiped her tears on her sleeves._

_“You’ll never win.” She said. “You’re all too weak to see the truth. Father and I will rule over the Fire Nation, and then the world.”_

_“Azula, please.” Zuko managed._

_“Please what?” Azula spun around to face Zuko. He clearly saw how she was unraveling. “Please abandon the only person who has ever given me respect? Love? I don’t think so…”_

_“Azula, this isn’t love.”_

_“And Mother favoring you is love? She thought I was a monster.”_

_“That’s not true. She loved us both.”_

_Azula scoffed. “Lies. Its all lies. It has been my destiny to be Fire Lord since I was named for Azulon. I was born to be this way.”_

_Zuko took a step closer. “Please, Azula, it doesn’t have to be this way.”_

_Blue flames pooled at Azula’s palms, spilling onto the cold stone floor like lava. “You just don’t understand. It does. What choice do I have?” She whispered the last part._

_“You could fight with us. Me, Uncle, and Lu Ten.” Zuko offered. “You could put a stop to Father’s tyranny, once and for all.”_

_“No.”_

_“You could get help. You could heal. We could find Mother, you and me. Together.”_

_“No!” The blue flames in Azula’s hands had changed to lightning, crackling with every second that passed_

_“You could be with your friends. Mai and Ty Lee? They’re fighting with us.” Zuko pleaded with her._

_“They betrayed me. I don’t need friends.” Azula spat._

_“They love you. Uncle loves you. Lu Ten loves you.” Zuko took a step closer again._

_“No!”_

_“Azula, I love you.” Zuko was inches away from her now. “Please, come with us. I don’t want to fight against you.”_

_He extended a hand. Azula looked at him for a moment before firing every ounce of lightning in her body at Zuko. He redirected it, as Iroh had taught him. Before long, the siblings were in a full fledged Agni Kai. Flames erupted all over the throne room, tearing down banners and paintings of the royal family. Azula’s blue flames and lighting consumed the throne itself._

_Then Ozai entered with an unsettling calm about him._

_“My children.” He said coldly._

_“Father,” Azula said quickly and in a panic. “This traitor you call your son is part of this coup.”_

_Ozai paused. “It seems both of you are.”_

_“She didn’t do anything—” Zuko began before his father cut him off._

_“Silence!” Ozai’s voice rang through the hollow room. “Your disrespect was the reason I banished you. It seems as though nothing has changed. Except now, my daughter has joined you.”_

_“Father, please.” Azula sobbed. “I am loyal to you and only you. I would never betray you.”_

_“Then prove it.” The Fire Lord’s arms were crossed._

_“What?” Azula stopped._

_“Kill the traitor, then. Prove your loyalty to the Fire Nation.” Ozai smiled slightly._

_Zuko’s heart raced. “Please, Azula. Please, you don’t have to do this.”_

_“Are you useless and weak like your brother, Princess?” The Fire Lord crooned. “Or are you my daughter?”_

_Azula raised her hands toward Zuko. He took a breath._

_“This is what he wants you to do, Azula.” Zuko said as calmly as he could. “He wants you to become a monster. The monster that you think mother was so afraid of.”_

_“She was afraid of you. In her eyes, you were a freak of nature compared to soft, sweet Zuko.” Ozai said._

_“Don’t listen to him, Azula.” Zuko’s whole body was trembling now. “You can choose a different path for yourself.”_

_“You’re going to listen to your traitorous disgrace of a brother instead of me?” Ozai’s voice rung in Zuko’s ears like the nails on glass. “After everything I’ve done? I have made you one of the most powerful firebenders to walk the earth. You are nothing without me.”_

_“Please.” Zuko whispered now. “Please.”_

_Azula squeezed her eyes shut. “All my life, I’ve had to live with the knowledge that people will never respect or love me. They will only fear me.”_

_“You will rule over the Fire Nation, my daughter.” Ozai’s foul lips curled into a grin._

_Zuko closed his eyes. It was only a matter of time now. Hopefully there were turtleducks in the afterlife. He heard Azula’s lightning crackle. Then, to his suprise, he heard his father scream in pain._

_“No more.” Cried Azula. “I will not let you make me afraid of myself anymore.”_

_Azula then collapsed to the ground, crying and screaming. Zuko had to drag her away from her father before he woke back up._

It was strange to Zuko that he still remembered every word said that day. It was both the best and worst day in his life. 

Now, Azula constantly teetered on the edge of stability. After years of therapy and doctors, her psychopathic tendencies lessened tremendously but she still struggled with being empathetic. At her best, she was a stern and quiet girl with an utter inability to understand social cues. At her worst, she could be cruel and sadistic. 

Zuko’s mind drifted to Sokka and Katara. Now, that was a pair of siblings. Zuko envied how their relationship seemed to be based on a foundation of trust, something he still was struggling to fully gain from Azula. 

Sokka floated around his thoughts for a few more minutes. The annoying, stubborn, overly-talkative, yet handsome Sokka. Zuko would be lying to himself if he said Sokka wasn’t good looking, of course. Growing up in the Fire Nation, he had never seen someone with such dark, enchanting skin combined with such striking blue eyes. Still, he more than often found himself annoyed with his mentor. 

While on his side, now staring at a book case, Zuko felt a boot in his back.

“Wakey-wakey, jerkbender,” Sokka’s voice said. 

Zuko groaned and rubbed his eyes. Apparently, he had been thinking about his family troubles all night. He wasn’t suprised, though. This had happened a lot.

“Woah, did you not sleep at all last night?” Sokka squatted down with an eyebrow raised.

“No.” Zuko said flatly.

“Spirits, you look exhausted.” Sokka’s voice sounded almost sympathetic. “I planned some sailing basics for today, but seeing as your eye bags are bigger than your actual eyes, we can just go ice-fishing instead.”

Zuko was too tired to say anything.

“Hello?” Sokka no longer sounded sympathetic. Just annoyed. “Can you give me an answer?”

“Fine.” Zuko got up. “I’d like some privacy to change clothes, please.”

Sokka raised his hands. “By all means, man. I have no desire to see you dramatically clothe yourself.”

“How much longer do we have to sit here?” Zuko grumbled. It had been hours since they left the palace and set up a fishing spot over the sea. The large hole carved into the ice had remained relatively still, as Zuko had yet to catch any fish. 

Sokka on the other hand, had about four large fish in his net from his hole in the ice.

“We are not leaving until you catch just one fish.” Even Sokka sounded tired now. “First, I thought you’d get two or three. Then, two would’ve been okay. Now, I realized the bar was too high. That’s on me.”

Zuko rolled his eyes. “I don’t get it! It’s just catching a fish on a stupid hook. I see the bait bob and I get bites but I can’t get a fish!”

“Because, stupid,” Sokka put an emphasis on stupid. “You’re not waiting long enough. You need to let the fish bite for a little before you reel in. What you’re doing is yanking the rod whenever you see the slightest bite, which scares the fish away.”

“Patience has never been my strongest suit.” Zuko mumbled.

“Yeah, I can see that.” Sokka said. For a moment, Zuko swore he felt something tap against the thick ice below him. He chalked it up to his sleep deprivation. Now, all he felt was annoyance. 

“No need to be a dick…” Zuko whispered.

“What did you just say?” Sokka’s brows furrowed.

“Nothing.”

“No, you called me a dick.”

“Well, its only fair considering how you make fun of me for doing anything at all. I can barely breathe without you telling me I’m an idiot!” Zuko was starting to get very annoyed.

“Well, you are an idiot!” Sokka shot back. “You come to _my_ tribe expecting to marry _my_ sister and you have the nerve to pretend to respect our way of life?”

“I’m not pretending.” Zuko said. 

“Oh, spare me, your highness,” Sokka’s words oozed sarcasm. “Every time you speak you sound like you’ve been rehearsing buzzwords to say in a mirror.”

Zuko’s cheeks got hot. His respect for the Water Tribe was sincere, though Sokka was right about the words. Royal officials had trained him in diplomatic word choice. 

“Face it, Zuko,” Sokka snapped. “You’re nothing but a selfish, spineless, cold-hearted, Fire Nation rich kid!”

“Oh, really?” Zuko was no longer annoyed. Now he was just angry. “At least I’m not some pompous, self-important, annoying asshole who doesn’t understand what he’s talking about.”

“You think so?”

“You call me selfish but you know nothing of sacrifice and service.” Zuko said. Part of him felt bad, but he didn’t care anymore.

“I know nothing of sacrifice and service?” Sokka looked at Zuko like he was a monster. “I became this tribe’s leader when I was _ten_ because your nation killed my mother and forced my father into a war. My sister and I did nothing but sacrifice our childhoods so that our people could survive a war that your family caused. You’re the one born with all the privileges in the world.”

“You don’t know shit about my childhood, _General._ ” Zuko’s hand touched his burned eye. “My own father mutilated me because I spoke out against him. I was thirteen. My sister was nearly driven to insanity because of him. My mother disappeared before I could understand what the war was. You do not get to tell me I had it easy when I have spent my entire life living with the aftermath of a war I didn’t even want.”

Sokka fell silent. Zuko was done with stupid ice-fishing. He turned to walk back to the palace on the ice. 

_Bonk._

Something thudded against the ice under the water.

“Oh no,” Sokka said, frozen in his tracks. “We left the bait in the water too long.”

“What’s happening?” Zuko tried not to sound scared.

“Jellyfish-shark.” Sokka turned pale. “We just attracted a jellyfish-shark.”

_Shit._ Iroh had told Zuko stories of the jellyfish-sharks of the South Pole. They were fearsome creatures the size and skin of sharks but with poisonous jellyfish stingers. 

The creature burst through the ice, snarling at Sokka. He pulled out a black sword.

“Zuko, you need to run. Get to the palace. Now.” Sokka’s voice shook slightly. 

“No, I’m not letting you face this thing alone.” Zuko shouted over the roar and poisonous crackling of the jellyfish-shark.

“I’m a grown man, I can handle it.” Sokka braced himself. “Plus, I don’t want your scary little sister to murder me in my sleep in case something happens to you.”

“Fine.” Zuko would laugh if he wasn’t terrified of the giant grey sea monster that was now attacking Sokka. He turned to run to the shore. Maybe he could at least get soldiers to help.

He froze when he heard Sokka cry out in pain. 

Zuko couldn’t believe he was doing this, but he ran back as fast as he could. Flames erupted from his hands as he aimed them straight at the jellyfish-shark. It writhed around in pain as Zuko’s fire began to consume its body. Zuko, dragged Sokka way from the creature as it fell back into the hole from which it emerged. Finally, the snarling stopped as its dead body sunk to the bottom of the ocean. 

Sokka groaned. “Ouch. I think it tripped me”

“Are you hurt? Did it sting you?” Zuko asked.

Sokka shook his head. “I don’t think so.”

“Can you walk?”

“Yeah.” Sokka shakily stood back up. “You saved me. After all the terrible shit I’ve said to you. Why?”

“I wasn’t going to just let you die just because you’re a dumbass.” Zuko smiled lightly. 

“I’m sorry I said all that. About your childhood and everything.” Sokka stared sheepishly at his hands.

“I’m sorry, too.” Zuko said. “Your tribe has been through a lot because of me and my family.”

“You’re not the one responsible for it.”

“But for a while, I benefited from it, I carried on that legacy. That’s why I’m doing this marriage. I want to make amends with your people. I don’t want people to be afraid of the Fire Nation anymore.” 

“I…” Sokka began. He sighed. “I respect that.”

“I want to honor your tribe and culture as best I can if I’m to marry your sister.” Zuko looked into Sokka’s blue eyes, as piercing as ever. 

“Thank you, man.” Sokka began to limp back to the palace, hanging on to Zuko. “I appreciate it.”

After a long silence, Zuko’s breath caught. “So. Friends?” He asked hopefully. 

Sokka smiled. “Fine. Friends. But I still get to call you names.”

“It’s a deal.” Zuko said as they walked back to safety, arm in arm. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> thanks once more for all of your supportive comments! i seriously appreciate it :) more azula content to come lol. plz keep leaving kudos and comments!!


	6. the prince and the princess

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello again! thank you for all the lovely positive comments i got on Zuko's first chapter! i also got a comment asking about why sokka didn't join the gaang on their various adventures so i'll explain. i was thinking about including a summary of what happened over the course of the plot of atla but i didn't want a big long exposition dump in the middle of the story. so here it is right now!
> 
> when aang arrived and offered to take katara with him, sokka was also given that same offer. however, he was the oldest remaining warrior in the tribe and basically had to be the de facto chief of the tribe since his father was still at war. the events of atla are still sort of canon in this story, obv w exceptions. in the coup that overthrew ozai, aang defeated ozai by taking away his bending like he did in canon (now obv after azula zapped his ass) while iroh and zuko took down the military in the fire nation capital. meanwhile, katara, toph, the kyoshi warriors, and various others members of the resistance insighted and led uprisings in the various fire nation colonies and towns.
> 
> i hope that clears up some history in this universe :) now enjoy the next chapter!

Over the next few weeks, Zuko began to adjust to his new life. Every day he’d get up early with Sokka to go train, learn, or make a fool of himself. Sometimes he did all of the above. While they still made fun of each other constantly, Zuko found his newfound friendship with Sokka very helpful. For the first time in his entire life, he had a best friend who was another guy his age. Really, Sokka was his first best friend _ever._

On days he didn’t spend every hour with Sokka, he would have tea with Katara. To his surprise, they had a lot in common. They both could be quite hot-headed. They both cared about their people. Most of all, they both were terrible at Pai Sho. 

When he wasn’t with Sokka or Katara, Zuko wasn’t allowed to be alone. Azula accompanied him almost everywhere, much to his annoyance. Sometimes it was just her, sometimes Ty Lee was there, or Azula and Mai, or even all three. Regardless of the combination, Azula was always there. It was only a little embarrassing that his little sister acted as his bodyguard. Then again, this was Azula. 

Zuko also formed a habit of taking absolutely silent walks with Azula. Every day once the sun was about to set, he would walk along the outskirts of Kirima with Azula by his side saying nothing to each other. 

Today, that was different. 

He and Azula sat on the edge of the water just outside the city. The water was completely still.

To Zuko’s surprise, Azula spoke first. “Are you doing alright?”

“What do you mean?” Zuko scoffed. “Of course I’m doing alright. I’ve actually started to get my bearings here. I’ve even made friends.”

“And they’re treating you well? With respect?” Azula asked. It was weird to see her almost protective of her brother, someone she tried to hurt so many times.

“Of course.” Zuko glanced to his sister. “Are _you_ treating _them_ with respect?”

Azula stared at her hands. “I try my best, you know that.”

“I do.”

“It’s just—” she hesitated for a moment. “You know that I don’t miss the person I was a few years ago. I don’t miss the abuse, the lies, I don’t miss any of it.”

“Yeah, what’s your point?” Zuko was confused as to where she was going with this.

“But I’d be lying if I said I didn’t miss having such unwavering respect as Crown Princess of the Fire Nation, you know? Having people listen to every word you say.” Azula looked longingly at the horizon. Zuko sighed. His sister, in all her tremendous progress, still had trouble with her definition of respect.

“Azula, they didn’t respect you.” Zuko said. “They _feared_ you. Do you miss having people be afraid of you? Thinking you’re a monster?”

Azula shook her head. “No.”

“Trust me, you did the right thing by becoming a prince’s guard.” Zuko put a hand on her shoulder. “You get to have a position of honor. One where people respect you out of love and not out of fear. They’ll finally respect you like I do”

Azula smiled lightly. “After everything I’ve done, you respect me”

“Azula, you are a wicked pain in the ass who would makes flowers shrivel up and die,” Zuko began, Azula frowned at him. “But you’re my little sister and I love you. Of course I respect you too.” 

“Thank you, Zuko. I guess never liked it when Ty Lee and Mai were afraid of me either.” Azula mumbled.

“Speaking of that, how’s it going with Ty Lee?” Zuko raised an eyebrow and smirked. Azula never really had her ‘schoolgirl’ crush phase (given the lack of childhood and all that), so her best friend and fellow guard Ty Lee had become the first person she had ever shown romantic interest in.

Azula groaned. “It’s going nowhere. She’s obviously into Mai anyway…”

“Is that jealousy I hear in the mighty head guard’s voice?” Zuko nudged his sister.

“No, and if you bring it up again I swear I will fry your ass up like a fire flake.” Azula gave him a warning glance.

“Whatever you say, _Zuzu._ ”

“Uh-uh” Azula chuckled. “That’s your nickname, not mine.”

“We both have ‘Zu’ in our names, it works both ways!”

“You are so wrong, you don’t even know.” Azula laughed a genuine laugh that Zuko hadn’t heard since they were kids. 

“To each their own, I suppose.” Zuko said. “Are you sure I can’t be alone for like an hour?”

Azula shook her head. “Nope. I promised Uncle and the Fire Nation I’d keep you safe.”

“I’ll be fine.” Zuko whined.

“You could, you whiny baby,” Azula insited. “Or you could get hurt. I’m just doing my job.”

“Ugh, fine.” Zuko grumbled as they stood up and began to walk home. _Home._ That was a funny thought. Zuko liked that he now thought of the Southern Water Tribe as home. 

“Seriously, Zuko,” Azula said. “I thought that after all that you experienced as a kid, you’d hate being alone.” 

That night, Zuko couldn’t sleep again. Before, it was mostly his various emotional demons, turmoil with his family, duty to his country, and feelings of loneliness that kept him awake. Now, he wasn’t so sure what was wrong.

“Go to sleep already, Princess.” Sokka groaned, turning over to face Zuko. That was the newest nickname to join the collection after Zuko had screamed like a little girl at the sight of a mammoth-squid. 

“Gee whiz, I’ve never thought of that one! Guess I’ll just fall asleep now.” Zuko shot back sarcastically. “Thank you for your endless wisdom.”

“Don’t sass me.” Sokka sat up. “Well, now I’m awake. What’s on your mind, buddy?”

Zuko sighed. “I don’t even know. I had a talk with my sister today.”

Sokka nodded. “Any threats on your life?”

“No, not today.”

“Sounds just peachy. What did you guys talk about then, if not murder?”

“Sokka, Azula’s not just some sadistic killing machine.” Zuko sat upright now too. “She’s still basically a kid.”

“Isn’t she Katara’s age?” 

“Well, yeah, but Katara didn’t have a phase of her life where she dabbled in imperialism. She’s trying to figure herself out.” 

Sokka smiled. “Makes sense. You sound like you care a lot about her.”

“Of course I do, she’s my sister.” Zuko said. 

“I like understanding-brother-Zuko way more than angsty-quiet-Zuko.” Sokka teased.

“Sucks for you man, they are the same person.” Zuko retorted. He liked being able to talk to Sokka. He listened, but not like Azula. He wasn’t afraid to give his opinion on things, even if it wasn’t really his place. 

If Zuko was being honest with himself, he valued his time with Sokka way more than anything else. But everyday he was reminded of how their days were numbered; it was only a matter of time before Zuko’s training ended and he had to propose to Katara. Sometimes (though Zuko would never dream of admitting to it out loud), Zuko would purposefully mess up a day of his training so they could work on it for longer. Zuko daydreamed a little about what it would be like to stay in the South Pole forever. No, not at the South Pole. With Sokka. 

“Hey, Prince Charming.” Sokka snapped Zuko out of his little daydream. “What do you say to a special day of training tomorrow?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, I take you on a little retreat? We could go camping, fishing, all that stuff. Maybe you can go and clear your head.” Sokka said. He sounded hopeful. 

Zuko smiled. “Yeah, that sounds great. Where are you thinking?” 

“I was thinking we could borrow Appa,” Sokka grinned. “And take a trip to Kyoshi Island so you don’t freeze your toes off.”

Zuko gulped. Part of him was supremely excited to go on this trip with Sokka, but he was also intimidated by the thought of riding the avatar’s flying bison (especially considering Zuko was to marry the avatar’s girlfriend). 

“We’ll leave tomorrow morning then.” Sokka said as Zuko yawned.

“There’s my cue, I’m going back to bed.” Sokka turned back over onto his pillow. “You need to just close your eyes and not open them ’til you fall asleep.”

“Ew, imagine if I opened my eyes in my sleep?” Zuko closed his eyes with a disgusted laugh.

“Blegh, you’re right that’s weird. Now, go to sleep already. Goodnight, Zuko.”

Zuko smiled. “Goodnight, Sokka.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> plz keep leaving me kudos and comments, it truly makes my day :) i have only 5 weeks now before i move to school so i'd say i have about that much to wrap up this story lol. we'll see tho. anyways, thanks again for reading <3


	7. the general has an epiphany

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> woo boy, this chapter was HEFTY to write but I am quite pleased with it. thank you so much for all the positive comments on this fic so far, its only been a week since i started it and its already more popular than anything i've ever written. truly, i am so grateful that you guys are enjoying reading this as much as i've enjoyed writing this. i've also thought of a really interesting plot point but yall will not find out what it is until much later >:). anyways, enjoy!!

It had now been two months since Zuko had arrived in Kirima. After two months of hating each other, being friends, and vigorous training, Sokka decided that he and Zuko needed a well-deserved break together. Sokka wasn’t exactly sure of why it had to be together, but he kept coming up with rationale to support it. 

_He could use a friend. It’s not like he’d know where to go on his own. If he’s my sisters future fiancé, then I gotta make sure he doesn’t get himself killed. Yes. That’s why Zuko and I should go camping together alone._

Sokka woke Zuko up gentler than before (although it still wasn’t very gentle). 

“Good morning, bud.” Sokka poked him lightly on the cheek, which was smooth and soft with peach fuzz. 

“‘Morning.” Zuko yawned. 

“Ready for some fun man time?” Sokka cringed at himself. That was a very odd way to say camping.

“That’s a very odd way to say camping,” Zuko said, as if reading Sokka’s thoughts. “But I am. Very ready.” 

They got their clothes on and began to pack some basic thing for two day’s trip to Kyoshi Island. It was now almost springtime, when the island was at its most beautiful. They would need the standard fishing supplies, tents, swim suits, and the like. When they were finished and just about to leave Sokka’s room, there was a knock at the door.

“I’ll get it!” Sokka ran to open the door. “Hi, Katara. What brings you here on this fine morning?”

“Oh, nothing,” Katara entered the room. “I just needed to talk to you really quickly. Hi, Zuko.”

Zuko waved in response. “Good morning.” He said, not fully paying attention.

“Um, actually Zuko,” Katara shifted on her feet. “Do you mind if I have a moment alone with Sokka?”

“Of course,” Zuko responded, carrying his bags with him. “I’ll go tell Azula where we’re going so she doesn’t commit arson when she learned I left the city.”

“Good call. I’ll see you soon.” Sokka said. “What is it, Katara?”

Katara chewed on the inside of her cheek. Sokka knew how she always did that when she was nervous. “I have a favor to ask of you.”

“I’m not cleaning Appa’s toe fungus again. Aang said last night that I could borrow him and he didn’t say anything about cleaning his toes.” Sokka shivered at the thought of it. “Maybe I’ll just make Zuko do it…”

“No, its not that—” Katara began. “Also, don’t punish Zuko like that, that is cruel and unusual.”

Sokka shrugged. “Whatever you say.”

“The favor is that you drag out Zuko’s training a bit.” Katara looked at her brother with a pleading look in her eye.

“Why?”

“Because, I’m done sitting around being miserable. I’m going to do something about this marriage.”

Sokka sighed. “I told you that you didn’t have to go through with it.”

“I know. But here’s the thing: we’ve been looking at this marriage, these treaties, as a one way street. As if we can have only one thing, or its opposite.” Katara explained.

“I don’t follow.” Sokka said. Where was she going with this?

“For the last four and a half years, we’ve acted like everything in the treaty is all or nothing. Either Yue marries Lu Ten and I marry Zuko, or the peace is in shambles. But it doesn’t have to be that way. You told me it didn’t have to be this way and you were right. Maybe we can find a compromise. Maybe we can amend the treaty.” Katara rambled on like a madwoman, but Sokka was starting to put the pieces together. 

“So what you’re saying is…” Sokka thought out loud. “Maybe there’s away you can protect your tribe _without_ marrying Zuko.”

“Exactly.”

“But what about Dad? He’s been working day and night on these agreements.” 

“If he loves me,” Katara said, a tear streaming down her cheek. “If he loves our tribe, he will listen to us.”

“Us?” Sokka asked.

Katara nodded. “Sokka, you’re the smartest guy I know. You can figure out any puzzle. You’re our best battle technician. You’re our idea man.”

Sokka smiled. He felt good knowing his sister didn’t truly think he was an idiot (no matter how many times she called him one. 

“Zuko can be a part of this too.” Katara continued. “I know he doesn’t want this marriage either. He knows Fire Nation politics better than anyone. And everyone knows the Fire Lord has a soft spot for his nephew. He’d listen to us. Aang will help too. He knows more about making peace than anyone in the world.”

“I’m with you,” Sokka said. “But how do you imagine we go about this?”

“I went through Dad’s study.” Katara stared at the floor. “I know it’s not the most honorable thing to do, but I found what I was looking for.”

“Which is?”

“There is nothing in the treaty or the Water and Fire Alliance Council’s bylaws that say civilians can’t make requests to amend laws or create them. Especially since these civilians will be a prince, the General of the South, the Avatar, and the South Pole’s waterbending master.” Katara recited proudly. 

“How long do you need?” Sokka asked.

“I don’t know, at least six months. I have some ideas already but I don’t know if they make sense just yet. Six months from now, we’ll go in on it together.” Katara stood, brushing her blue dress.

“And what about Zuko?”

“We’ll let Zuko know in six months too. For now, don’t tell him.” She said sternly before making her way to the door. “I don’t want to betray my tribe. I want to protect our home. But there has to be another way to do it besides fighting our parents battles for them with empty promises.”

Weirdly, it made Sokka kind of uncomfortable that he had to keep secrets from Zuko. After all, he was now one of his closest friends. 

“I’ll do it. You have my word.” Sokka promised.

Katara gave him a hug. “Thank you.” She whispered. 

“Of course.”

With their bags loaded onto Appa’s saddle, Sokka and Zuko were ready for liftoff. Katara’s plan rang around in his head, but he brushed it out. This trip was for relaxing. Sokka was only now starting to realize how tired he was. He trained Zuko every day. When he wasn’t training, he was in countless meetings about defense and politics and alliances. The fragile peace between the nations was enough to make anyone stressed out and exhausted.

“You ready for takeoff?” Sokka said, inhaling the cold air. It would be nice to go somewhere a little warmer for a change. Kyoshi Island was the farthest outside of home he’d ever been to. He’d been there a few times with Aang and Katara, but it had been so long since his last visit. 

Zuko nodded, shifting a bit uncomfortably. “Yup.”

“All aboard, then.” Sokka climes on to the giant flying bison with ease. He was used to it now; Appa made a great flying drone for security checks. Zuko warily climbed on too, sitting with his legs crossed behind Sokka.

“So, what now?” Zuko asked.

“Are you holding on tight?” 

Zuko nodded. 

“Appa, yip-yip!” Sokka smiled. Zuko’s gasp turned into a scream as they took off into the air, leaving the city behind them. 

“This. Is. Terrifying.” Zuko managed, barely stringing the words together.

“Eh, you’ll get used to it in a few minutes. We’ve got about three hours of flight left.” Sokka yelled over the wind. He steered Appa a bit steeper so they could get a clearer view of their route. 

Zuko let out a scream again. Sokka turned around for a second to see the Prince Regent of the Fire Nation gripping Appa’s saddle until his knuckles were white, squeezing his eyes shut. Sokka chuckled at the sight of it.They flattened out before continuing to fly smoothly. 

“You can open your eyes now, Prince Charming.” Sokka teased. He turned around to face Zuko who went from pale to flushed before he could speak. 

“Shouldn’t you be steering or something?” Zuko breathed.

“Meh, Appa knows the way there now. We’re flying steadily.” Sokka reclined to lean on the saddle. “Smooth sailing, if you will.”

“Ha ha…” Zuko said sarcastically. 

Zuko eased up as they flew over various small islands and ships in the water. His hands stopped furiously gripping the saddle and he looked down at the beautiful world below him with wonder and not fear. 

“Woah.” Zuko whispered. 

“That’s what I said the first time I flew too.” Sokka smiled, scooting over next to Zuko. “Except I didn’t scream like a princess before.”

“Shut up.” Zuko laughed. Sokka hadn’t realized how much he liked that laugh. Zuko was never one to smile with all his teeth (or smile often in general) but when he laughed, his whole face laughed. 

After a few more hours, they finally landed on Kyoshi Island, welcomed by the Kysoshi Warriors. 

Suki, their leader bowed to Sokka. “Welcome back to Kyoshi Island, General.”

“Oh, stop that,” Sokka grinned. “Come here!” He wrapped her in a big hug. She smelled familiar to him: warrior makeup and a little perfume. 

“It’s so good to see you again, Sokka.” Suki giggled. “Who’s your friend?”

Sokka nudged Zuko forward. “This is Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation. I’ve been training him for his upcoming engagement and we came here for a well deserved break.”

Zuko bowed respectfully. “It is a great honor to be on Kyoshi Island. I humbly thank you for your hospitality.”

Sokka rolled his eyes. “I promise he isn’t as stuffy normally.”

Suki smiled. “I’ll take your word for it. C’mon, I’ll show you to the camp ground.”

It was now evening and the sun was setting over the horizon. Sokka chomped on a fish he caught earlier. Zuko even managed to catch one too, which made Sokka beyond proud. 

“I’m sorry I was so weird and fake-royally earlier with Suki.” Zuko said. “I’m not really used to meeting people in a casual way.”

“You worry too much, Princess.” Sokka replied through chews. “Suki definitely wasn’t annoyed by it like I was when I first met you.”

Zuko smiled gently. “Good. Suki seems like a nice girl.”

_A nice girl_ was an understatement for Suki. Sokka thought she was awesome. The day they met, Suki punched Sokka right in the gut because he had said something ignorant about female warriors. Katara threatened to punch him in the face after, but that was not as a big of a deal. Suki was kind, smart, powerful, and courageous. Sokka admired everything about her, from her leadership to her sweet smile. 

“She is.” Sokka explained. “She and I actually used to date.”

Sokka could’ve sworn that he saw Zuko’s smile falter for a second, but he chalked it up to exhaustion from the flight.

“Really?”

“Yeah,” Sokka wiped his mouth on his hand. “We were together for like a good year, but it didn’t work out. The distance became kind of a problem, especially once we both assumed our respective military duties.”

“I see.” Zuko said. “And it’s not awkward for you guys to hang out?”

“Nope, we promised each other we’d still be best friends. It’s easier this way anyway. Sure, at the beginning it was hard. I wanted to be with her but I knew that I had to keep serving my tribe.”

“I could never do that.” Zuko sounded a bit more serious. “Pretend that I’m not interested in someone, I mean.” 

Sokka shrugged. “I’m a good actor. Anyway, its getting kind of dark, I’m gonna start a little fire.”

Sokka made a little structure for his fire but he just couldn’t get it to ignite. _This is embarassing._ He thought.

Zuko knelt down next to him. “I got it, don’t worry.”

“No, its fine—”

“Shut your stupid mouth and let me light the stupid fire.” Zuko chuckled, putting a hand on Sokka’s shoulder. Sokka’s cheeks warmed and his heart started to beat quickly, though he wasn’t sure as to why. Zuko extended a hand into the structure and igniting a fire. 

“Thank you.” Sokka muttered. Zuko rolled his eyes jokingly.

“What, big general man is embarrassed that he can’t light a fire?” Zuko chuckled.

“Quiet, or I will throw you into the water with the unagi.” Sokka said. He was only half kidding. 

“Whatever you say, man.” Zuko laid out a mat to sleep on before stretching himself out on it. His hair was let down in a shaggy mess that framed his face and striking amber eyes. He looked far more uncomfortable in these lighter close, with his pants coming to his knees and his shirt open wide. Sokka’s heart began to race again. 

_Stop that._ He thought, scolding his heart. 

Zuko brought him back to reality. “What’s on your mind?”

“What? My mind is empty. No brain. Head empty.” Sokka said rather quickly.

Zuko raised an eyebrow. “I don’t believe that for a second. If you’re brain is so empty, where do you come up with all those nicknames for me?”

“The Spirits just bless me with that information everyday.” Sokka shot back. “Why are you so talkative all of a sudden? Not like that’s a bad thing. I like it better when you talk to me instead of just sitting around and being sad.” 

Sokka hoped Zuko didn’t notice he was rambling. _Wait, why do I care if he thinks I’m rambling?_

“No, no, you’re right, I do feel a little different.” Zuko sat up. “I feel better. These last couple months have really been good for me, I think.”

“I agree, buddy,” Sokka was genuine now. “You’ve made really impressive progress.”

“Yeah?” Zuko asked hopefully.

Sokka smiled before he remembered his promise to Katara. “Of course. Obviously, you’ve still got a long way to go before you go ice dodging and you can propose and all that stuff.” 

“How long would you say?” 

“I dunno, at least another six months? A year maybe? Aang and I all have birthdays this summer, so probably after then. Maybe even after Katara turns nineteen in the fall?” To his surprise, Zuko looked pleased with this information. 

“When’s your birthday, Sokka?” Zuko said, still looking pleased.

“Summer solstice.” Sokka replied. Zuko’s eyes widened. 

“Me too.” Zuko said excitedly. 

“No way!”

“No, I’m being completely serious right now,” Zuko laid back down onto the mat, his body facing the fire. “Maybe it’s fate.”

“Or just coincidence.” Sokka offered. He never really believed in that spiritual mumbojumbo, even if he tried to. 

“Nah,” Zuko drawled. “I think so. At first, I was really apprehensive about coming to the South Pole. I knew it had to be done but I thought I was going to be alone.”

“And you think fate has something to do with this?” Sokka was now laying on his own mat in the warm island air. 

“Yeah, I do. I think fate brought me to the South Pole. And to you.” Zuko’s cheeks grew a little pink against his pale skin. All Sokka could feel was his face burning up. _Or maybe it was the fire?_ Sokka thought. _I just did it again. Why do I care if Zuko thinks I blush?_

“Well,” Sokka gulped. “That’s real nice of you, Zuko.”

Zuko yawned. “I think I’m gonna turn in, sleep in for once.”

“Yeah, me too.” Sokka wasn’t fully paying attention to the words he was saying. He just found himself staring at Zuko, who had quickly closed his eyes and fallen asleep. Maybe an hour passed as Sokka just looked at him. He kept his eyes fixated on him until the fire died out. Even in the dark night with nothing but the moon to shine down on them, he could see Zuko’s face. Kind, gentle, scared, smooth. His brain wandered off, thinking about what it’d be like to put Zuko’s face in his hands, what it’d be like to run his fingers through the prince’s black shaggy hair.

_Oh no._ Sokka thought. _I am not going there. This guy is supposed to marry my sister eventually. I cannot like him. I will not like him._

But there it was again, the thought of Zuko. Sokka’s former enemy and now his best friend. A guy who was everything his forefathers were not: honorable, empathetic, dutiful. Sokka thought about Zuko’s amber eyes, always ablaze with passion and life. He thought about how Zuko smiled and laughed and bit his lip when he was trying really hard to concentrate. He thought about Zuko’s warm, strong hand on his shoulder, lighting a fire for them. He felt his stomach drop when he thought about Zuko marrying his sister, having children with her. 

_Uh oh,_ Sokka thoughts rang loud and clear in his head. His heart pounded. _I like the Fire Prince._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> let the pining commence, whores :)
> 
> plz continue to leave kudos and comments, i live for it. thx luv u.


	8. the general makes a confession

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sorry it took longer than normal to get this chapter up but i've been working out the overall direction i want this story to go in and i'm really excited. enjoy this short, fillerish chapter :) (ps. thanks for the wonderful comments and kudos, my heart is v full)

Sokka awoke the next morning to a tapping on his leg. He groggily opened his eyes to Zuko poking him lightly on the ankle, smiling softly.

_Great._ Sokka thought. _Of course this guy is there as soon as I wake up._

“Hey, Sokka,” Zuko noticed Sokka beginning to wake up. “Suki told me I should wake you up. She’s got some combat training thingy planned in a few minutes.”

“Mmkay…” Sokka groaned sleepily. This was a weird dynamic for him. Normally he was the one waking up a cranky, sleepy Zuko. Sokka sat up on his sleeping mat and stretched his arms. 

_Stop trying to flex, weirdo._ His brain scolded. _Shut up._ He scolded back.

“Sleep well?” Zuko asked, pouring a wooden bowl of water over the remaining embers of the fire from last night. He looked unusually content; he was well-rested and calm. 

“Meh,” Sokka stood up to change his shirt. “I had a bit of a hard time falling asleep.”

“That makes one of us. I knocked out last night.” Zuko took a seat with his leg crossed on his mat. 

Sokka took off his warm long sleeve shirt and changed it for a lighter tie-front kind. He stared at the ground, desperately avoiding eye-contact with Zuko. 

“So, what did Suki tell you about that combat training thing?” Sokka turned back around, keeping his cool for now. “And when can we have breakfast?”

“Fighting in the style of the Kyoshi warriors. Suki said you were already pretty familiar with it, so you’d watch and maybe help out.” 

_Perfect, Suki is going to make me sit there and watch Zuko do arguably the hottest thing ever: combat training with his shirt off. Am I being punished or something?_ Sokka’s thoughts complained. 

“You sure you wanna do combat training? This trip was supposed to be a mini-vacation.” Sokka said.

Zuko shrugged. “I don’t think it could hurt to try.”

“Are you ever gonna answer my question about breakfast?”

“I knew you were going to wake up hungry, so I took the liberty of making a fish porridge for you. It’s over there.” Zuko pointed to a small wooden table with a bowl on it. 

Sokka grinned and ran to go eat. Within a minute or so, the bowl was empty. 

“Man, you make a mean porridge.” Sokka sighed, holding in a burp. “Where’d you get the fish?”

“I caught it.” Zuko’s expression was a mixture of pride and embarrassment. 

“Really?”

“Yeah, I woke up a little early this morning and I used your rod to catch it.” Zuko said. “Normally, fishing is either really boring or really stressful for me but today it was actually relaxing.”

Sokka smiled with pride. “I’m so proud of you, Princess. Your first fish caught entirely on your own.”

Zuko’s ears turned a little pink. “Thanks. I learned from the best.”

“Of course you did,” Sokka wiped his mouth. “Now, let’s go teach you how to kick some ass with fans.”

“Now, remember, the Kyoshi Warrior fighting style is all about redirecting your opponents force on themself. Think of your fans as extensions of your arms and try to block me.” Suki explained. She had given Sokka a near identical instruction a few years ago. 

Sokka sat on the floor of the training facility with his legs outstretched, propping himself up on his hands. He had been watching for about an hour now, seeing Zuko and Suki take turns disarming and blocking each other. He watched as Zuko carefully redirected Suki’s attacks back to her, throwing her to the ground. 

“Did I do it right?” Zuko asked.

Suki nodded. “I’m impressed, Zuko. You’ve picked up the concept quickly.”

“It’s a lot like redirecting firebending, I think,” Zuko collapsed his fans into themselves before sticking them in his practice belt. “My uncle taught me that when he helped me with my firebending. I remember how he said we have to draw inspiration from every element’s bending style, so this was the waterbending style.”

“Your uncle sounds like a smart guy.” Suki said. “I can see why they made him Fire Lord.”

“I agree. Uncle shared a lot of wisdom with me. By far the most emphasized one was how to make a proper jasmine tea.” Zuko explained. Before he could continue, Suki swooped down and knocked his legs down from under him. Zuko collapsed to the ground. 

“You may have a knack for this, _your highness_ , but you still have to pay attention.” Suki smiled. She looked over to Sokka, motioning him to come up to help them. “Sokka, why don’t you spar with Zuko?”

Sokka’s heart started pounding again. At this point, he was really starting to get annoyed when his heart just started racing whenever he was tasked with being close to Zuko. 

“Sure.” Sokka stood up. 

“Alright, Zuko, try to pin down Sokka. Sokka, you try and do the same to Zuko.” Suki instructed. 

In a fighting stance, Sokka circled Zuko. He noticed how, over the last few months of training, Zuko had grown bulkier compared to the first night when he arrived at the South Pole. He was still rather skinny, especially now that he wasn’t covered in the layers of winter clothing, but he was definitely stronger and more muscular than he was before. 

Zuko lunged first, reaching for Sokka’s wrists. Sokka blocked his advances for a few moves before he was able to pin Zuko down to the ground by his hands. 

“You gotta be faster than that, Prince Charming.” Sokka said, straddling Zuko’s body. He could practically hear his own heartbeat aloud. Zuko’s chest rose and fell quickly. Then, he used his leg to leverage himself onto Sokka. Now, it was Sokka who was pinned to the ground by his wrists.

“Done and done, _General._ ” Zuko smiled, his faces inches away from Sokka’s. Sokka’s breath caught and he felt frozen.

“Good job, you successfully bested someone.” Suki said. “Zuko, you can take a break for the rest of the day.”

“Awesome.” Zuko got up off of Sokka before he helped him up. 

“Nicely done.” Sokka mumbled. 

“Thanks, buddy,” Zuko put a hand on Sokka’s shoulder as he walked towards the door. “Hey, are you good if I take a nap for a little? I’m trying to make up for the years of insomnia in like two days.”

“Sure, man. That sounds great, you slept pretty sound last night.” Sokka replied. He panicked as he realized how creepy that sounded. “Not that I watched, you sleep or anything. That would be weird. I just meant that you seemed well-rested and all that.”

Zuko nodded. “Alright then, I’ll see you in an hour or so.”

“Bye, Zuko!” Suki called. 

“See ya later, hotman!” Sokka cringed as the words came out of his mouth. _‘Hotman’? Spirits, that was old slang Aang uses._ He thought.

Suki waited until Zuko was out of earshot. “What was that disaster? Did you suddenly forget how to talk to other human beings? Where you raised in the woods or something?” 

“No,” Sokka laughed awkwardly. “I’m perfectly fine. Never been better.”

“Level with me, Sokka,” Suki put her hand on Sokka’s arm. “Why were you acting so weird with Zuko?”

“It’s nothing, really.” Sokka lied. 

Suki raised an eyebrow. “I know you well enough to know that something is up with you too. Everything seemed fine yesterday when you arrived. Did he say something to you? Are you mad at him?”

“No, no.” Sokka leaned against the wall, sliding down slowly. “Spirits, I’m just annoyed with myself.”

Suki’s expression softened. “I think I know what’s up.”

“Doubt it.”

“I think, correct me if I’m wrong here,” Suki sat down next to Sokka. “I think you like Zuko.”

Sokka hesitated. “That’s ridiculous.”

“You hesitated.”

“No, I didn’t.”

“You did too, I heard it.” Suki took his hand in hers. “It’s okay, Sokka. You can tell me.”

Sokka sighed. “Okay, fine. I may or may not be slightly maybe interested in someone who is potentially Zuko.”

“That was a really roundabout way to say you want to kiss that little prince.” Suki teased. Sokka’s face went red at the thought of kissing Zuko. It hadn’t even crossed his mind yet but now the thought of pressing a kiss onto the prince’s lips consumed all of his thoughts. 

“I don’t know what to do, Suki.” Sokka admitted. “I’ve only been aware of this stupid infatuation with him since last night and its already taken over my brain. I can’t tell if I want to punch him in the face or kiss him. I want him around me all the time but I act like an idiot now. How am I supposed to train him for the next year?”

Suki put her head on Sokka’s shoulder. “You know, I trained you when I had a massive crush on you and you didn’t even notice.”

Sokka laughed. “I remember. But what does that have to do with this?”

“Sokka, you’re a good teacher and leader. I’m sure you’ll be able to figure out a balance between pining over him and kicking his ass.” 

“I hope so. I mean, he’s supposed to marry my sister eventually. I gotta do this for Katara.” Sokka’s stomach felt queasy when he mentioned the marriage. He had been so caught up in his newfound awareness of his feelings for Zuko that he had forgotten the reason why they were even friends at all. Now more than ever, he had reason to make Katara’s plan to amend the Treaty _flawless._

“That’s all fine and noble of you, Sokka,” Suki held his hand a little tighter. “But you have to do this for yourself too. Maybe one day, you can tell him how you feel.”

“Not a chance. He probably doesn’t feel the same way anyway.” Sokka said.

Suki let go of his hand and stood up. “I wouldn’t be so sure. This morning when I went to tell Zuko about todays plans, I asked him how his training was going. Do you know what he told me?”

“That we hated each other until a jellyfish-shark tried to murder me?”

“Yeah, but he wouldn’t shut up about you. He rambled on for like ten minutes about how you were such a good teacher and his first real friend. It was so sweet it gave me a toothache.” Suki explained. 

Sokka smiled to himself. “He said all that about me?”

Suki nodded and stretched out a hand. “You bet. Now come on, let’s go actually relax now. Away from your sleeping beauty.”

Sokka took her hand. “Shut up.”

They walked back to the camp, Sokka’s mind rattling harder than ever before. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> sokka tops zuko but suki tops sokka. that's all i have to say lol. anyway, i hope you enjoyed. keep leaving me comments and questions, reading and answering them is my fav thing ever. much love <3


	9. the prince finds peace

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello, i know this chapter is up later than previous ones and that has been bc   
> a) i started watching the legend of korra and i have to watch it all in one week during my free trial lmao. (side note: i am loving it so far regardless of the occasional questionable writing, i want korra to crush me w her biceps) 
> 
> b) i am no longer bedridden like i was two weeks ago when i started this fic, so i no longer can sit on my ass all day and write. 
> 
> c)i'm starting to pack up my shit to move to college (yeehaw), which is a pain in my bootyhole bc of covid. so apologies in advance for slow updates!
> 
> anyways, thank you so much as always for the overwhelming positive response to this fic. keep leaving comments plz and kudos if you haven't already! much love <3

For possibly the first time in Zuko’s twenty years of existence, he felt relaxed. Maybe this was the zen that Uncle had described to him so many years ago while drinking tea. Zuko wasn’t entirely sure if it was a good thing, considering nearly every year of his life was filled with something stressful. 

He and Sokka had spent the last two days away from their duties in the South Pole, practicing Kyoshi-Warrior style fighting, eating fish they caught, and swimming. Every so often, Zuko would forget that they would have to fly back to Kirima the following morning. 

Sitting in a make shift hot spring, Zuko tried his hardest to let the warm water wash away his thoughts. But his brain still rattled around. His thoughts seemed to be screaming at him. _Marriage. Duty. Honor._

“Hey, princess, is everything alright?” Sokka asked, reclining in the hot spring with his eyes closed. 

“Yeah, I’m fine.” Zuko said. 

Sokka opened an eye. “You were muttering about marriage and honor. Normally, you just mutter that in your sleep.”

“And how do you know that?” Zuko retorted, half-smiling. 

Sokka turned a little red. “It keeps me up at night sometimes, dummy. Now tell me what’s wrong. This trip was supposed to be relaxing.”

Zuko felt embarrassed for a second. Sokka was right, he was supposed to be relaxed. This whole trip was a favor, something that Sokka didn’t have to do but did for Zuko out of kindness. 

“It was. It is.” Zuko said. “But you know that I’ve never been great at being laid back. It almost feels too calm. As if something is going to happen soon.”

“Something bad?” Sokka opened both eyes and sat up in the water.

Zuko shook his head. “Not sure.”

“My friend, you gotta give yourself a break.” Sokka said, moving closer to Zuko. “It sounds like you’ve spent your entire life waiting for something bad to happen.”

“Maybe because I have.” Zuko realized as he spoke that he sounded bitter. He saw Sokka’s expression change to a sadder one and his heart immediately sank. He turned to try and reassure him but the hot water splashed him right on his scar. Zuko winced in pain.

“Spirits, are you okay?” Sokka rushed close to him.

“I’m fine.” Zuko insisted. “My scar is just sensitive to heat.”

Sokka raised a hand to Zuko’s scar, which made the prince’s breath hitch. 

“Can I?” Sokka asked. Zuko nodded.

Despite being in the hot spring for a considerable time, Sokka’s fingers weren’t that hot. Sokka’s finger and thumb gently brushed over the burned skin around Zuko’s eye. It was the first time anyone had touched the scar since it had been seared into his skin. Zuko had never let anyone touch it before, not even his uncle or sister. 

Sokka bit his lip. Zuko found himself smiling at that. He knew that Sokka always bit his bottom lip when he was thinking. 

“What are you thinking, General?” Zuko nearly whispered.

“I’m thinking about punching your father in the face.” Sokka remained focused on the scar.

“You and me both.” Zuko said. “Sometimes I wish he never banished me, then I could make him look at what he did to me every single day. Maybe he’d feel guilty one day. I doubt it though.”

“Wait a second, he _banished_ you too?” Sokka’s eyes widened. “He deserves more than a punch in the face…”

“No kidding.”

“I know you probably don’t wanna talk about it, but,” Sokka asked hesitantly. “How did that all happen?”

Zuko stopped for a second. He never told anyone outside of his immediate circle about the day his father disfigured and banished him, especially considering his immediate circle was either present on that day or had heard about it. But if anyone would understand, it would be Sokka. 

“It was at a war meeting. A general was willing to sacrifice an entire platoon of young, new recruits as a distraction. I told him it was a bad idea. In response, I was challenged to an Agni Kai. A fire duel. I thought I’d duel with that old general. But when the day came, I had to duel my father.” Zuko explained. Sokka listened intently. “I refused to duel him and begged for forgiveness. But that wasn’t enough.”

Zuko could almost see Sokka’s knuckles turn white from clenching his fists. 

“Then, I was banished. My father considered sending me out on a futile mission to catch the avatar, since we still thought he had disappeared or died. But I was too much of an embarrassment to do that. So he sent me to our vacation home on Ember Island.”

Sokka looked at Zuko earnestly. “You’re not an embarassement, Zuko.”

“Thank you.” Zuko looked down at the water.

“How did you even get through that?” Sokka asked. “Was Ember Island a nice place?”

“I was lucky that he put me there and not in a prison camp. I can thank my uncle for that. He begged my father to put me on the island instead.” 

“And Ozai listened?”

Zuko nodded. “He convinced him that it would be less shameful for the family if the Crown Prince was away on Ember Island as opposed to an enemy of the state. As for getting through the banishment, I almost didn’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I wasn’t very keen on continuing to live without my family, my honor, my throne.” Zuko kept his glance glued to the water. It was almost shameful to admit.

“You didn’t try to—” Sokka whispered.

Zuko cut him off. “I did. But I lived. And after that, I realized I wanted to stay alive. Maybe out of spite, but also because I had realized there was so much I didn’t know. After a while, my uncle came. So did Mai. But for the first year, when I couldn’t even have visitors yet, I thought about my mother. I dreamed about the day that my father’s reign came to an end and I could go out into the world and find her.”

“The war has been over for almost five years, did you go look for her right after it ended?”

Zuko shook his head. “No. I’ve been swamped with royal duties and eventually getting married. If I wanted to go look for her, I would have to back out of the marriage and the peace would fall apart. I couldn’t do that to the Fire Nation.”

“Hold on,” Sokka said. “So if you marry Katara, you can’t go and look for your mom?”

“No, once we become Prince and Princess Regent, we don’t get to even leave the Fire Nation capital.”

“And you’re willing to give up the one chance to see your mom?” Sokka sounded like this situation was familiar to him. 

“Yes. It is my duty to my country.”

“You sound like a robot.”

“But it’s true!”

“Is it? Do you really think you have to sacrifice so much of yourself to keep the peace?” Sokka almost sounded desperate.

“It’s the honorable thing to do, Sokka. My cousin did it. Yue did it. I don’t have any other choice.” It hurt Zuko to admit that out loud. The marriage had somehow become more of a real threat to him now.

“That’s not honorable, that’s self-destructive.” Sokka said. “It’s more sad than anything else.”

“It’s just the way it is.” Zuko sighed. “That’s the way it always has been.”

“Everyone knows ‘that’s the way it’s always been done’ is a dumb justification.” Sokka turned to face Zuko. “What if it didn’t have to be like that though?”

“It does.”

“No, I mean just hypothetically. If you could get out of this marriage, would you do it?”

“Only if I knew my people would be protected. Then I’d do it.” Zuko admitted. “But you’re talking about some fantasy land. This is real life, Sokka. You of all people know what it means to make sacrifices for your tribe. Like I said, that is the most honorable thing a leader can do.”

“I promise you, Zuko, you have more honor in your pinky finger than your father has in his entire body.” Sokka said. 

“You flatter me too much.”

“Well, that’s because people don’t flatter you enough.” Sokka shot back. “I’m making up for a twenty year deficit.”

Zuko laughed. “I like your reasoning.”

“Thank you,” Sokka rose out of the water. Zuko pretended not to stare at him. “Now let’s get out, I’m beginning to look like a sea prune.”

Zuko smiled at his friend as he hopped out of the hot spring, wrapping a towel around his waist. He caught his heart racing for a moment. 

The next morning, Suki helped them load their stuff onto a very relaxed Appa. 

“Safe travels, boys.” She said as she gave them a final hug. “Say hi to Katara and Aang for me.”

“Will do.” Sokka replied. “You ready, Prince Charming?”

Zuko nodded. “Let’s go home.” _Home._ Now that was an interesting thought. Zuko had struggled with the concept of a home. The Fire Nation might have been his home country, but he really only felt at home when he was with Sokka at the South Pole. 

The ride was mostly filled with sleeping. Zuko even got the chance to steer Appa, much to his horror. When the sky bison cruised through the air on a familiar path back to Kirima, Zuko would just watch an exhausted Sokka sleep. Normally, that would be a kind of creepy thing to do but the way Sokka slept was genuinely amusing. Zuko snorted at the mighty General of the South, who snored with his mouth wide open and his tongue sticking out. 

_There it is again._ Zuko thought again. _Peace._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> i promise there will be more conflict later, a bitch j wanted some pining. keep leaving comments for me kiddos, love u!!!


	10. the prince goes to the festival

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> and just as fast as i started, i have now finished legend of korra. honestly it gets way too much shit bc i loved it. not as much as atla but i think at this point the original series is pretty much untouchable. anyways, enjoy this slightly longer much more piny chapter.

The next couple months were a blur for Zuko. He liked the routine he’d established with Sokka, training every day and talking all night long. His weekly tea with Katara became something he looked forward to. Even Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai were well adjusted to the new life they had built. When Zuko looked in the mirror, he was drastically different than his first night in the South Pole. His black shaggy hair had grown to reach his collarbone, making it impossible to have one giant bun on his head. He opted for the half up half down style of his uncle. His eyes were still tired, but not as sleepless and drained as they were before. His face was still clean shaven, but now a smile was not an uncommon thing to grace his face. Tonight, the night before the summer solstice, the night before his and Sokka’s birthday, Zuko finally felt ready for his life to move forward. 

Still, there was an uneasiness in his stomach, one that whispered in the back of his mind. It reminded him of his duty to his country, how one day he would have to leave the life he’d built in Kirima. And that would include leaving Sokka. Every time this voice would speak, Zuko pushed it out as fast as he could. Instead of thinking about leaving him, he just thought about Sokka as a person.

_Sokka._ Zuko’s mind mused. _My dearest friend, closest confidant, my trusted teacher. The smartest idiot I know. The only person I’d be willing to jump into the unknown with. If only I had him with my in my life in a different circumstance. One where I could spend my life with someone who cares about me. Sokka’s smile, Sokka’s laugh, Sokka’s stupid concentrating lip bite, Sokka’s duty, Sokka’s independence. Sokka._

Almost as if he had conjured his presence, the General of the South himself walked into their shared bedroom. It was late at night, but Sokka was still dressed in his meeting clothes. His hands were tucked into the pockets of his blue jumpsuit and fur coat. His face wore that wicked grin that Zuko could look at without stopping. 

_I swear to Agni,_ Zuko’s brain told him. _If you fall in love with this grinning idiot, I will give you an aneurysm._

“It’s almost midnight, birthday boy.” Sokka sat down on his bed, hands still stowed away in his pockets.

“I should be saying that to you,” Zuko said, sitting down next to him. “You’re back awfully late at night.”

Sokka shrugged. “Meh. I know I’m serving my people and whatever, but Tui and La, those meetings are _boring._ ”

“Oh, come on, Great General,” Zuko teased. “We both know you love politics, even though it’s a pain in your backside.”

“Hush, dummy.” Sokka laughed, kicking Zuko lightly in the foot. “I’ve got stuff for you.”

“Are you serious?” Zuko tried to hide his excitement, but he just couldn’t. He never got a real birthday present from anyone but his uncle. Even when his mother was still around, Ozai never gave gifts to any of his children.

“Serious as a jellyfish-shark.” Sokka pulled a small cake out of his pocket. “I made this.”

Zuko raised an eyebrow. If Sokka’s cooking was anything like his art, this little cake might be enough to kill him. 

“Um,” Zuko tried to seem supportive. “Thank you. What’s in this?”

“Oh, just eat it, Princess,” Sokka insisted. “I promise you it’s not poisonous. I had one myself just to make sure.”

Zuko took a breath and took a bite. To his surprise, it was not revolting. In fact, it was actually quite good. He took another bite. It tasted like the sweets from his childhood that his mother would sneak him during Ozai’s war meetings. 

“Is this—?” Zuko asked with his mouth full.

“Fire berries. Yes it is, very sharp palette, your majesty.” Sokka smiled. “Your sister helped me ship down some from the Fire Nation. Mai and Ty Lee gave me the recipe.”

“You are a shockingly good cook, especially given your history with other art forms.” Zuko said. “Thank you so much.”

Zuko leaned in to hug him but Sokka pulled away. _Oh no. Oh no. I just ruined everything._

“Relax, you didn’t do anything wrong.” Sokka chuckled, as if reading Zuko’s mind. Zuko’s body relaxed again. “You can’t hug me yet because that’s not all I got you.”

“No way.”

“Yes way!” Sokka reached into his pocket and took out a little, deformed carving of some indistinguishable animal. “It’s a turtle-duck. Your favorite.”

“Aw, it’s so ugly and cute.” Zuko took the little carving into his hand.

“I know, I know.” Sokka said. “It’s not the most realistic carving ever.”

“Buddy, you didn’t give it wings or legs.” Zuko laughed. 

“Whatever, I’m proud of it. Do you like it?” Sokka asked. 

Zuko’s smile was now uncontrollable. “Are you kidding? This is fucking incredible. You are incredible.”

Sokka’s ears grew a little pink. “I know, I’m an amazing gift-giver. You can hug me now.”

Zuko nodded and gave him a big hug. He could probably stay like that for hours. Sokka’s arms were strong and held him tightly. He smelled like rain. When they finally let go, Zuko put his hand on his pocket, remembering the gift he made. 

“I made something for you too,” Zuko admitted, feeling his cheeks get hot. “It’s not nearly as thoughtful as what you got me, but it took like two weeks.”

“You didn’t have to do that.” Sokka said. 

Zuko reached into his pocket, pulling out the gift. “Just be quiet and take it.”

“Whoa.” Sokka admired the gift, a leather bracelet. “You did this all on your own?”

“Yeah. I did a little carving of the Fire Nation and Southern Water Tribe insignia.” Zuko pointed to the little carvings he spent weeks on. 

“This is easily the coolest thing anyone has ever done for me.” Sokka wrapped the bracelet around his wrist.

“It’s nothing, really.” Zuko smiled. “Happy birthday, Sokka.”

“Thanks, buddy,” Sokka said. “I mean it.”

They awoke in the morning to the sunlight shining in the room through the window. The walls were illuminated to an icy blue-silver, making small reflections and refractions dance all over the ceiling. Zuko opened his eyes to Sokka, who was already getting dressed in some of his more formal clothes. Zuko tried to look away but couldn’t. He found himself mesmerized by the intricate details and weavings on Sokka’s shirt and pants, his eyes fixating on the general’s muscular back. 

“Oh good, you’re awake.” Sokka interrupted Zuko’s ogling. “We have a special guest coming to the Summer Solstice Festival tonight.”

“Who?” Zuko asked groggily, rubbing his eyes. 

“You’ll find out.” Sokka said. “You too are gonna get along great. Now put on your fancy clothes, birthday boy. We got a lotta people to see today.”

Zuko tried to find the most ornate clothes he could. He chose the robes he wore to his uncle’s coronation; the red and gold sleeves reached his wrists as they flared out. The lapel and belt were woven with gold. Hopefully, that would be enough.

They made their way down to the harbor where they would await this mysterious guest. Just several months ago, Zuko was the one arriving in the harbor, with crowds of people waiting. He felt excited at the novelty, but weirdly nervous. He was almost wary, as if this person, an outsider, was a threat. They couldn’t be though, especially if Sokka revered him like this. He wondered if this was how Sokka felt waiting for the famed Prince Zuko to arrive in his country. Zuko stood in the line in the back of the crowd with Sokka to his left and Katara to his right, with his guardswomen not far behind them. Aang stood on the other side of Katara, seemingly excited for the first time in weeks. Truthfully, this was the first time Zuko saw either Aang or Katara excited. It made him smile. 

Suddenly, the cheering increased. Off the ship came a single girl, unaccompanied. Zuko could barely see her from so far away and she quickly got lost in the crowd. Before he knew it though, she was back in front of the prince, general, waterbending master, and avatar. She was clearly from the Earth Kingdom, with her dark disheveled hair and green clothes. Around her waist was a sigil with a flying boar. Her eyes were the most interesting; they were a pale jade green, glossed over. Yet, they twinkled with a mischief Zuko couldn’t quite comprehend. 

She ran to hug Aang and Katara. “Hiya, dummies.”

“It’s so good to see you again, Toph.” Katara said, overjoyed. The girl, Toph, punched her arm. “Sorry. You know what I meant.”

“Nah, I’m just messing with you, sweetness.” Toph laughed. Her voice was higher than Zuko expected. It didn’t match her attitude at all.

Sokka hugged her too. “How’s the best earthbender in the world doing?”

“I’ve certainly been worse.” She replied.

Zuko didn’t say anything. He tried waving and extending out his hand, but she didn’t seem to react.

“There’s another person here.” Toph remarked. “Who is it?”

“Oh, right.” Sokka shook his head and lead Toph over to Zuko. “Zuko, this is Toph Beifong. She was Aang’s earthbending teacher. Toph, this is Prince Zuko of the Fire Nation.”

Zuko bowed, his royal teachings kicking in. “It is an honor to meet you, Ms. Beifong. The world owes you a debt of gratitude.”

She reached out for Sokka. “Just Toph is fine. Is this guy always this stiff?”

“No, he’s normal, I promise.” Sokka insisted. 

“Meh, doesn’t seem like it.” Toph said flatly. “Can one of you guide me around? These boots are making it so hard to see.”

Zuko looked confused. “What?”

“Toph can’t see with her eyes, so she uses earthbending to see with her feet.” Aang explained. “Seismic sense.”

“Wow, that’s incredible!” Zuko was thoroughly impressed by this girl, who on the outside looked like a regular noble girl about Aang’s age. 

“I know.” Toph held onto Aang and Katara as they all walked back to the palace. “I can bend metal too.”

Zuko scoffed. “That’s impossible.”

Toph furrowed her eyebrows. “You think so, huh? I can feel that knife in your pocket.”

“How? You’re not even touching it.” Zuko shot back. That knife in his pocket was his uncles. He didn’t want this crazy lady bending it. Before he could even reach into his pocket, Toph extended a hand and the knife shot right out into her hand. 

“Believe me now?” She smirked. 

“Wow.” Was all Zuko could think to say. 

“So, Toph, what brings you down here?” Aang asked.

Toph shrugged. “Got a letter from sugar queen and twinkle toes over here, she needed my help with something important.”

Aang, Katara, and Sokka looked knowingly at each other. 

Zuko frowned. Were they keeping something from him? 

As they walked back, Zuko had the sneaking suspicion that this hunch was correct. He put it aside in preparation for the evening. 

That night, Zuko experienced something unique. Specifically, he had his first Summer Solstice Festival. The streets of Kirima were decked out to the highest degree: lights were strung all around the city in an array of different colors. Vendors sold food and trinkets in the streets. In front of the palace, Katara’s waterbending students led a fantastic display of bending. Soon, there was to be a dinner outside honoring the birthdays of both Sokka and Zuko. Zuko had never celebrated his birthday with anyone outside of his immediate circle. 

The prince looked in bewilderment at the city as he and Sokka strolled along the main street. Sokka smiled at him with that smile Zuko could look at for days. 

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” Zuko said. “We have festivals kind of like this in the Fire Nation, but I was never allowed to go.”

“It’s beautiful, isn’t it?” Sokka was practically glowing with pride. “This festival used to be a tiny celebration of my birthday with a few people in the tribe, but since the end of the war, we were able to make it a celebration of light. We rebuilt ourselves from the ground up. I think that’s a better cause to celebrate than just me getting another year older.” 

“Both are good.” Zuko smiled back. “You all have every right to celebrate.”

Sokka’s wholesome smile turned into a wicked grin. “C’mon, princess, I’ve got something else to show you.”

Using one hand to cover Zuko’s eyes and the other to pull him by the arm, Sokka pulled Zuko inside the palace where he dragged him up the stairs to the highest floor. There, they emerged onto the tallest spire encased by a railing. There was little room, but neither of them seemed to mind as they carefully sat down with their legs between the rails. Sokka uncovered Zuko’s eyes to possibly the most beautiful sight he had ever seen.

The entire city was lit up with every color. They almost twinkled like the stars above them. There was music playing, people singing, waterbenders swirling icicles and streams of water into the air. Zuko imagined that this was what the Spirit World was like when his uncle visited it. There was so much life happening at once. And to think, if Zuko had succeeded in his attempt so many years ago, he would have missed this moment. He would have never been able to see the beauty of the Southern Water Tribe and felt the closeness that they all shared. 

“Cool, huh?” Sokka said.

“I-I mean, its just, like, wow.” Zuko stuttered.

“That’s what I said the first time I saw the city like this. From up here.” 

“How old were you?”

“I don’t even remember, probably like sixteen or seventeen?” Sokka mused. “I remember in the hardest part of conceiving the peace treaties, when Aang and my dad were constantly in meetings trying to draw up plans, this reminded me of the good we did.”

“I can tell how proud you are of your tribe.” Zuko stared at Sokka, whose gaze did not leave the view.

Sokka nodded. “I used to be so hopeless about my tribe’s future during the war. Then, when it ended, I got that hope back. I think it goes to show that nothing is unsalvageable.”

“Not even people?” Zuko asked. 

“I’m not sure about that one.” Sokka replied. “But if you’re talking about you, you’ve never been unsalvageable either.”

“How did you know I was talking about myself?” Zuko felt the embarrassment heat up his entire body.

“I know you, Zuko,” Sokka said. “You’re always acting like you’re this horrible person and you individually have to atone for the sins of an entire nation.”

“Because it’s true.” Zuko looked down at the people below. “My nation has done things I’m not proud of. _I_ have too. Before my banishment, I genuinely believed that the Fire Nation was acting honorably. But we were hurting everyone. We hurt your people and your family. We hurt you. ”

“You weren’t given a choice then. After that, you chose to do good.” Sokka’s voice made Zuko look into his eyes. “You will never erase what the Fire Nation has done to the world. But you can set a new precedent for good. Zuko, you have more honor and goodness in you than most people in your nation.”

“That’s why I have to go through with the marriage.” It stung once again to say it aloud. 

Sokka hesitated. “You don’t.”

“What?”

“What if I told you that you could bring honor to your nation and keep them safe without marrying Katara?” Sokka’s voice fell to nearly a whisper. 

“I’d tell you there’s no way to realistically do it.”

“And I’d tell you you’re full of shit.” Sokka moved closer. “If I told you that Aang, Katara, Toph and I were figuring out a way to amend the treaty, would you help us?”

Zuko stopped. “Is that what Toph was talking about earlier?”

Sokka nodded. “Yes. I wasn’t supposed to tell you until later but—”Sokka hesitated.

“But what?”

“But I hate keeping things from you. More than anything. You’re the closest person to me in my life, even closer than my sister or Aang or Suki or Toph or anyone. I want you to be involved in this.” Sokka admitted. Zuko’s heart pounded in his chest so loud, he was worried that Sokka could here it. 

“You do?”

“Yes, I do.” Sokka looked at him with pleading eyes. “Will you help us?”

“I want to, believe me I do.” Zuko said. “But how do we know its gonna work? What if people think we’re betraying our countries?”

“We’re not betraying our countries by trying to get rid of stupid arranged marriages that never bring real change. We’re helping our countries by making things better.”

Zuko paused. “I’m in.”

“Yeah!” Sokka cheered. He wrapped his arms around Zuko in a hug. Zuko stared at Sokka as the general looked up at him, first at his blue eyes that reflected all the beautiful colors of the city below them. Then he looked at his lips, curled into a gentle smile. They were only inches away from each other. 

_Do it!_ The little voice in his head egged him on. _Kiss him!_

Zuko tried to lean in a little but was startled by a loud explosion. For a moment, he panicked but relaxed once he saw the fireworks. 

“You okay?” Sokka asked shakily. 

Zuko gulped. “Yeah, the fireworks just startled me.”

“Right,” Sokka sounded almost breathless. “That means dinner is about to start. We should get down from here.”

“Right.”

As they descended down to the front of the palace, Zuko tried not to faint completely on the steep stairs. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im so soft for my boys, i stg. please please pretty please keep leaving comments, it means so much to see ppl interacting with this fic. comment as many times as you want, i promise i wont judge if its more than once ;) seriously yall i need this. thanks as always for reading! <3  
> edit: sorry not a new update, j fixed a little mistake! more to come soon!


	11. the general listens to his brain

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello thots! sorry that this chapter is coming sooooo much later than the rest, i was taking a mini vacation (don't worry i stayed within my state lol). but now im back!
> 
> also, unfortunately i will NOT be moving into college in two weeks bc i just found out that my school will be online only for the rest of the semester which make me BIG sad. on the bright side, at least i know have more time to update before my classes start.
> 
> thanks for sticking with me this far. as always, your positive comments truly make my day so keep them coming! <3

Sokka couldn’t tell if he wanted to vomit or pass out. As he came back down the stairs with Zuko trailing behind him, his dazed appearance was the opposite of the workings of his brain. His thoughts seemed to form in rapid succession, alternating from sheer disbelief to confusion to denial. _What just happened? Did Zuko just try to kiss me? No, you’re reading into it too much. But I know that dumbass leaning-in move, that’s a kissing initiation. You almost could have kissed him and you didn’t? You are an idiot!_ Sokka’s thoughts raged in his head like a storm. Before he knew it, he was sitting at the long dining room table with Toph to his left and Zuko to his right. As Zuko (now fully recovered from his own bout of awkardness) happily chatted with Katara and Aang, all Sokka could do was just stare off into space and hope nobody noticed how utterly insane he looked. 

Toph frowned. “You good, Sokka?”

“Yup, totally fine.” Sokka lied. Apparently Toph, though partially ‘blinded’ by her thick boots, could still feel his racing heart. 

“Lie.” Toph said. “Out with it, what’s wrong?”

“Nothing is wrong,” Sokka replied. Technically, that was true. While the thought of Zuko trying to kiss him terrified him a little, he wished that it happened. “I’ve just got a lot on my mind.”

Toph fiddled with the food on her plate. “I can tell. Now, normally I’d force it out of you but since its your birthday, I’m gonna let it slide.”

“Thank you.” Sokka looked down at his own food. Normally, he would be starving and inhaling the food faster than they could bring it out. But tonight, the sea prawns just didn’t look as appetizing. 

The rest of the sit-down portion of the dinner passed in a haze for Sokka. His father toasted to the birthdays of the General and the Prince, prompting them to exchange blushed looks with one another. The dancing portion, Sokka’s favorite, came next.

For a while, Sokka almost forgot about what happened on the tower with Zuko. Everyone danced together with smiles on their faces, laughing at one another’s terrible dance moves. Sokka still couldn’t keep his eyes off of Zuko, who’s dancing was dorky but somehow very attractive. Once again came the reminder of their almost-kiss, but now Sokka didn’t feel embarrassed nor afraid. All he felt when he looked at the prince dancing was a fire in his chest that made him want to hold him and never let go. Sokka swore Zuko’s only powers were firebending, but now it seemed like he was some magical sorcerer who could simply enchant anyone to look at him. 

The little spell was broken when Sokka overheard an argument break out between, Mai, Ty Lee, and Azula. 

“Look, Azula, you know we love you and you’re our best friend,” Ty Lee’s sweet voice said. “But Mai and I are together now. You can’t just keep inserting yourself!”

“What, so I can’t be around you two now?” Azula shot back.

“She never said that.” Mai grumbled. “You and I both know you’ve had a thing for Ty Lee since we were kids and you’re just upset that she’s happy with me now.”

A silence fell around the dance floor. Aang and Katara shared a grimace with one another as people whispered in the crowd. 

“Yikes.” Toph whispered. Sokka noticed Zuko almost shrinking in embarrassment. 

Azula looked terrifyingly angry. “Fine. I didn’t want to be around you guys anyway.”

She stormed off into the depths of the palace, which prompted all the partygoers to resume dancing to the music. 

“Um,” Zuko said. “I’m gonna go make sure she doesn’t blow anything up. I’ll catch up with you soon, Sokka?”

Sokka felt his whole body seize. “Yeah, totally, man. Birthday boy. Princess.” His words trailed off as Zuko went after his sister. Aang looked sheepishly at the floor while Katara looked thoroughly confused. Toph reached out until she felt Sokka’s arms and began dragging him away. 

“Twinkle toes, take us to your room.” She said. “We gotta chat.”

“Toph, you can let go of me now.” Sokka insisted. 

“Nah.”

They arrived in Aang’s modest bedroom, shutting the door behind them. Aang and Katara faced him with concern while Toph’s gaze was slightly to the right of Sokka (something he would never point out out loud).

“Spill it, what’s going on with you?” Toph demanded. 

“Nothing!” 

“Lie.”

“Sokka, you can tell us anything. Is there something going on?” Katara sounded worried now. 

Sokka groaned. “Fine. It’s about Zuko.”

“What about him? Are you guys fighting or something?” Aang asked. 

Sokka felt his cheeks get hotter. “No, its not that. Well, he sort of…and I kind of…”

“Will you just say it already?” Top complained.

“Zuko tried to kiss me before dinner. I think.” Sokka said as quickly as he could. To Sokka’s surprise, only Katara looked shocked.

“He _what_?” His sister’s eyes widened. “That’s ridiculous.”

“No, its not,” Sokka responded defensively. “I would’ve liked if he did, actually.”

“Wait, so you like him?” Katara asked. Sokka nodded.

Toph broke the split second of silence with a cackle. “Aha! I fucking knew it.”

“You did?” Katara still looked confused. 

“Are you kidding? My boots make it almost impossible to see, but the one thing I do see clearly is Sokka’s pounding heartbeat whenever he talks about, talks to, thinks about, or looks at Zuko.”

“That’s a bit of a stretch.” Sokka said.

Toph raised an eyebrow. “Zuko.” She stated. Lo and behold, much to Sokka’s annoyance, there was his heart pounding away. 

“Okay, fine, you’re right.” 

“Sokka, how long have you felt this way about him?” Katara put her hand on her brother’s shoulder.

“Since the camping trip.”

“That makes a lot of sense.” Aang cut in.

“Hold on, you knew too and didn’t tell me?” Katara turned to face Aang.

Aang shrugged. “I’m sorry, but I’ve picked up on it since then too, I just didn’t want to point it out and have it not be the case.”

“Katara, are you mad?” Sokka asked. The way she was asking so many questions and seemed so shocked scared him.  


“Of course not.” Katara wrapped him in a hug. “I’m only confused because the dark, brooding person isn’t really your type.”

“Zuko isn’t dark or brooding, at least not around me.” Sokka smiled at the thought of _his_ Zuko. 

“Ugh, spare me.” Toph muttered.

“Well, since he tried to kiss you, at least you know he likes you back!” Aang smiled excitedly. 

Sokka shook his head. “I doubt it, he probably was just caught up in the moment. I don’t think he thinks of me as more than a friend.”

“Spirits, we’re both oblivious aren’t we?” Katara chuckled.

“What do you mean?” 

“During our weekly tea, all Zuko talks about is you and how much he values you and how much he feels at home with you.” Katara explained. “I can’t believe I didn’t pick up on this sooner.”

“Well, I still don’t know what to do.” Sokka plopped down on Aang’s bed in frustration. “I don’t want to ruin our friendship, especially since I told him about the treaty plan.”

Everyone’s eyes widened. “You did _what_?” They said in unison.

“I know I wasn’t supposed to tell him until next week, but I just hate keeping things from him.” Sokka defended himself. “I trust him with my life.”

“Wow,” Toph said. “You got it bad.”

“Aw,” Katara cooed. “I’m still pissed that you did that, but that’s so sweet.”

Toph froze for a second. “I think I felt someone coming but I can’t tell with these stupid boots. I’m taking them off.” She winced as she put her bare feet on the cold floor of the palace. 

“Who is it?” Aang asked.

“I think its Zuko.” 

“How do you know?” 

“Same as Sokka,” Toph smirked. “Fast pace and fast heartbeat.”

Toph was right. Sokka heard Zuko’s voice on the other side of the wall, calling for his sister. 

“Let’s get him in here, then.” Aang offered. 

Sokka shook his head. “No, he’s looking for Azula. I don’t want her to commit arson.”

“I can feel where she is.” Toph said. “In a room. Crying.”

“Well, that’s sad.” Katara said.

“Yeah, she’s got some issues.” Sokka’s breath caught as he heard a knock on the door. 

“Azula? Are you— ”  Zuko began as he entered the room. “Oh. Hey, everyone. What’s going on?”

“I’m telling them how I told you about the treaty plan.” Sokka said. That wasn’t totally a lie. 

“Right. I’m sorry I found out, I know you were planning on telling me later.” Zuko put his hands in the pockets of his robes, the pocket that held the shitty carving of the turtle-duck. Sokka crossed his arms in front of himself, running his thumb along the bracelet Zuko had given him in response. 

“It’s okay, we’re glad to have you on the team.” Katara smiled. “Let’s walk you through the whole plan.”

Sokka watched silently as Zuko sat crisscrossed on the floor, listening intently at Katara, Toph, and Aang explain the plan to amend the treaty. Occasionally their eyes would meet each other, and Zuko would smile gently. That smile made Sokka’s heart and stomach do a million cartwheels. When Zuko was focused on the plan, Sokka would catch glimpses of his eyes, glowing with ambition and passion. All he wanted to do was look into them and never look away.

“So, what are your thoughts, your highness?” Toph asked after concluding the outline of the plan.

“I know I new to this group and everything, but I think we’re missing something big here.” Zuko replied.

“How so?” Aang sat up on his bed.

“Well, a lot of these provisions on trade and stuff are beyond the jurisdiction of our nations’ alliance. It would affect the Fire Nation’s relationship with the Earth Kingdom, as well as the Earth Kingdom’s relationship with the Water Tribes.” 

“So what do we do?” Sokka asked.

“It won’t be enough to just amend the treaty.” Zuko said, almost solemnly. “We have to write a new treaty.”

“Wow.” Katara managed. “And you’re sure there’s no other way?”

Zuko nodded. “With everything your amendment wants to accomplish, the only way to get lasting change is to apply it to the whole world. New trade agreements, truces, specific plans on the fate of former Fire Nation colonies, civil rights. Everything needs to be accounted for. And who better than the people who ended the 100 year war? As long as our nations’ alliance council approves it with a simple majority, we can call the Council of Four Nations.”

Listening to Zuko talk so passionately about bettering the world made Sokka want to melt into a puddle. 

Aang stood up. “Committee members? Motion to rename us from ‘Committee on Treaty Amendment’ to ‘Committee for Treaty Reformation’.”

“Second.” Sokka raised his hand. Katara followed happily, as did Zuko.

“Second.” Toph said, somewhat begrudgingly.

“All in favor, say ‘aye’.” Aang said in his best judge voice. The aye came completely in unison. “This motion passes.”

“Sweetie, do you have to use your judge voice in every meeting? Its just us.” Katara sat down next to him, taking his hand.

“Hey, I love my judge voice.” Aang insisted. “Makes me feel all powerful.”

“You are literally the avatar! You are objectively the most powerful person on this planet!” Toph shouted.

The three of them all laughed, but Sokka could tell Zuko was feeling left out. 

“Do you think Zuko and I can return to the party now? It is our birthday festival, anyway.” Sokka asked. 

“Committee, all in favor to adjourn for the day?” Aang announced again.

Sokka rolled his eyes. “It was a yes or no question.”

“Sure, boys.” Katara smiled. “Have fun.”

“Not too much fun.” Toph whispered under her breath. Sokka shot her a death stare, praying Zuko didn’t hear that. Toph, Katara, and Aang all erupted into giggles again. 

“Sorry for all that formality.” Sokka glanced at Zuko, mesmerized by his flowing black hair and gold hairpiece. 

“It’s no problem, Sokka.” Zuko put his hands in his pocket again, prompting Sokka to run a finger over the bracelet. “It feels nice being around a team like this.”

“Even when they make annoying inside jokes and comments to each other?” 

Zuko shrugged. “I’ve hung around my sister and her friends for the last few years, it’s the same dynamic.” 

“Speaking of,” Sokka changed the subject. “How’s that whole situation?”

“Not great.” Zuko said. “It doesn’t help that every time I try to mediate, Mai gets mad at me.”

“Why?”

“Eh, we used to date so she still takes out some of her frustration with our family on me every now and then.”

“Oh.”

“Don’t worry though, she and I are on good terms.” Zuko insisted. “We are much better off as friends anyway.”

“So you’re still close?”

“Obviously not as close as before, but she is one of my most trusted guards. I’m happy she and Ty Lee are together, though I wish Azula had someone in her romantic life like that.” Zuko and Sokka made it back out in front of the palace to the dinner table. 

Sokka tried to hide his jealousy of Mai. _Why I am even jealous? His ex is literally dating someone else now. Stop being stupid._

Zuko turned to him. “Unrelated, but I just wanted to thank you for such a great party. I’ve never experienced anything like it before.”

“Well, you’re part of my family.” Sokka smiled. “Get used to it.”

That night, Sokka almost slept soundly. That is, until Zuko woke him up with a hard nudge on his shoulder. He stood over Sokka with all his hair let down, a small flame in one hand lightly illuminating his face.

“Zuko? Mrmph.” Sokka grumbled. That sentence was supposed to resemble spoken words, but he was too sleepy to string them together.

“Um, I hate to ask you this,” Zuko scratched his head with his free arm. “But…”

“But what?”

“I kind of had a bad dream. A really really bad one. About my parents.” Zuko’s voice waivered.

Sokka felt a surge of energy. “Oh, shit. Are you okay?”

“No, not really.”

“Do you want to talk about it?”

Zuko shook his head. “Will you stay up with me? Just until I fall back asleep.”

Sokka’s cheeks warmed again but he ignored it. “Of course.”

Shakily, Zuko climbed into Sokka’s bed and slid under the blanket. Before he could say anything, Zuko’s arms were wrapped around his chest. His hands were warm and his eyes were closed as he took deep breathes.

“Is this okay with you?” Zuko breathed, his face buried into Sokka’s neck. For once, Sokka’s heart wasn’t pounding. He felt safe and at peace.

“Yeah.” Sokka could barely let the words escape his mouth.

Maybe an hour passed as they lay there with their bodies pressed up on one another. Zuko still wasn’t asleep.

“I can’t stop thinking about that dream.” He whispered into Sokka’s neck.

Sokka gently traced a finger along Zuko’s back. “It’s okay. Do you wanna hear a story?”

Zuko nodded. 

“When Katara brought Aang home after the end of the war, I was a little annoyed. Especially since I walked in on my baby sister kissing a literal twelve year old vegetarian monk who just so happened to have beat the shit out of the Fire Lord.” Sokka began, feeling hot air come out of Zuko’s nose as he laughed against his neck. 

“The Fire Lord deserved it.” Zuko muttered.

“We know.” Sokka said. “Now hush, I’m telling a story.”

Zuko giggled again quietly and Sokka continued.

“For a while, all they did was call each other ‘sweetie’ and annoy the ever-loving shit out of me. But one day, right after Katara turned fifteen, Aang sat down and talked to me. He told me that he had been in the ice for a hundred years, spending a hundred years without his people. Yet, he said that he still felt their presence and their love. He said he felt the love of his whole nation was reincarnated in Katara. Then Katara came not even a day later and said she felt our mother’s love when she was with Aang. They didn’t even coordinate that but I thought it was really nice. After that, it was hard to stay annoyed. The reason I’m telling you this is because I want you to know that there is more to life than duty and sacrifice. There’s a lot of love that I hope you get to experience.”

Zuko lifted his head up to look at Sokka, who’s hands cupped his face. Sokka ran a finger over Zuko’s scar, but he didn’t wince. 

_It’s now or never_. Sokka’s brain shouted. 

Sokka took a deep breath before pressing his lips onto Zuko’s. They were warm and dry like his hands. Pulling away with his thumbs still running over Zuko’s cheekbones, Sokka looked him in his amber eyes.

“Is that okay with you?” Sokka asked. Zuko responded by planting a kiss on Sokka himself. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> im giving the gays everything they want <3\. anyways, i hope you enjoyed, plz plz plz leave comments and kudos! i am very much in need of cheering up and they make me so happy. much love <3


	12. the general steals a kiss

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi everyone! this chapter is being posted real late at night but idc. its gonna be a little lighter and fluffier, esp given what comes next. special shoutout to @amberg93 for commenting on like every chapter, youre a real one <3
> 
> enjoy!!

Sokka’s eyes fluttered open to the morning light shining through his window. The warm sunrise streamed glories from the clouds, lighting up everything in its path. Right by his side lay Zuko, still asleep. His long hair was messily strung across the pillow, creating streaks of darkness along the light pillow. Sokka simply stared at the prince who faced him with his eyes closed and his breath steady. He reached out, gently moving a strand of hair away from Zuko’s face, whose eyes opened softly in response. 

“Hi.” Sokka whispered. Normally, he’d think of some clever quip to distract himself from his feelings for Zuko. But now, all he could think to say was ‘Hi’.

Zuko smiled. “Hi.”

“Did your dreams improve?” Sokka asked. Zuko noddded. “Good.”

“Are you sure this is all okay with you?” Zuko said. 

“I’m positive.”

“Good.” The prince yawned. “What’s the plan for today?”

“Spirits, princess, you’ve been awake for thirty seconds and you’re already ready to get out of bed?” Sokka joked, propping himself up on his elbows.

Zuko snorted. “Well, when you put it like that, staying in bed seems like the better option.”

“That’s because it is.”

“Right.”

Sokka threw himself back onto his pillow, facing the ceiling. This was an interesting feeling, one in which looking at Zuko made his heart race but calmed him at the same time. Looking at him, being with him was like the strongest drug: intoxicating, euphoric. It was a high he never wanted to come back down from. 

“To answer your question,” Sokka said. “We’re just doing the usual, but I imagine that you’ll have your first official committee meeting after dinner.” 

“Mhmm.” Zuko hummed, shifting a little. 

Sokka furrowed his brows. “What’s wrong?”

“Don’t get me wrong, I’m so glad you all want me to work with you guys. But I’m a little nervous.” Zuko said.

“You’ve got no reason to be nervous.”

“What if they don’t trust me? Like me?” Zuko stared at him with worry. Sokka cautiously fumbled around for Zuko’s hand, finally finding it and lacing their fingers together. He felt the new callouses that formed from months of training, so different from the almost doll-like skin Zuko came with.

“You worry too much.” Sokka squeezed Zuko’s hand a little tighter. “I trust you, Katara trusts you, Aang trusts you. Plus, you totally knew what to do last night.”

“Yeah, but I don’t want to ruffle any feathers. Plus, I’m kind of afraid of Toph.”

“That’s valid.” 

“She’s basically a less terrifying version of a younger Azula. More jokes, less mental instability.”

Sokka snorted. “Eh, she’s also not completely sane, I think. But I think she likes you.” 

“I hope so. I just want to a good job. I owe your sister the chance to marry the man she loves.”

“You owe that to yourself too, Zuko.” Sokka said. “You know that, right?”

“I guess.”

“You’re allowed to be good to yourself. You’re not a bad person.” The general insisted.

Zuko didn’t look so convinced. “I’ve done things I’m not proud of, Sokka. Things you don’t know about.”

“Enlighten me, then.” 

Zuko sighed, changing the subject. “Maybe another time. When do we have to get up anyway?”

He wasn’t gonna force him to tell him, so Sokka moved on. “Not for a while, the sun rises real early in the summer. We can stick around for another hour or so.”

“Good.” Zuko said as Sokka watched him study his lips.

Sokka grinned. “Whatcha lookin’ at, your highness?”

“You.” Zuko breathed. “Can I kiss you again?” 

Sokka nodded, letting Zuko move closer and gently kiss him. Like before, Zuko’s lips were warm. This time, they smiled. He felt Zuko’s hand reach up and run his fingers through Sokka’s hair, his thumb tracing over Sokka’s cheekbones. 

Sokka came up for a breath. “You’re good at that.” He cursed himself silently for saying something so odd.

“So are you.” Zuko smiled. “It’s been a while since I’ve done that with anyone. At least, with anyone I really cared about.”

Sokka tried to conceal an ‘awe’ but before he could think, the sound escaped his lips anyway.

“I know, I’m adorable.” Zuko joked. 

“We all know, princess.” Sokka wrapped an arm around Zuko’s waist, pulling him closer. “Now c’mere, we still have an hour.”

Zuko moved himself lower to rest his head on Sokka’s chest. Once he felt Zuko’s breath steady and he heard the quiet movement of air out of his nose, Sokka fell right back asleep. 

Sokka couldn’t figure out why he was still so nervous around Zuko sometimes. After all, they had now kissed more than once and they slept in the same bed. Still, Sokka felt like he had to think about every single action with Zuko. He couldn’t figure out whether he felt totally comfortable with Zuko or if he was still terrified of messing it all up (though he eventually concluded it was a little bit of both). On their usual hunting training, once they were out of sight of the nosy elders and judgmental citizens, Sokka mustered up all his courage to take Zuko’s hand again. It still shocked him how warm the prince’s hands were, especially in the South Pole. Even though it was summertime, Sokka’s hands were still freezing. Zuko didn’t seem to mind it. 

Sokka found himself staring at Zuko again later in the day during their lunch break. His red robes and blue boots (the combination of which he used to be so bothered by) were weathered but still radiated some sort of regal sophistication. His hair, half tied up, fell to his shoulders and swayed when he laughed and walked. His eyes, still so strikingly amber, carried passion and ferocity but compassion and warmth. His scar, a reminder.

That dinner was the least awkward one in recent memory. No more pretending that Zuko wasn’t the most beautiful person Sokka had ever seen, no more hastily shifting a glance when either one of them looked at each other. While Hakoda told his nightly dad jokes (that only Zuko truly found funny), Sokka’s breath caught when their fingers would brush against each other under the table. 

Toph elbowed him. “You seem calmer than yesterday.”

“Yeah, you could say that.” Sokka smiled at Zuko, who happily talked with Katara and Aang about their favorite Fire Nation foods.

“Oh, I get it.” Toph said. “You too kissed, didn’t you?”

“Um,” Sokka began, but Toph cut him off again. 

“Don’t even try to lie to me again, Snoozles.”

“Fine, we did.” Sokka admitted.

“Tongue?” Toph grinned.

“Not answering that.” Sokka said as he stuffed more food in his mouth.

“Whatever, I’m proud of you, dummy.” Toph gave him a light punch on the arm. “Promise me you won’t be as gross as Aang and Katara during our meetings.”

“Oh, absolutely.”

“Its all ‘sweetie’ this and ‘my love’ that.” Toph mimicked a retching motion. “Makes me happy that I can’t see.” 

“Trust me, when it comes to them sometimes I wish I was blind and deaf.” Sokka chuckled. “I doubt they’ll be any better when they get married.”

“When?”

“Yeah.”

Toph snorted. “Such optimism in our plans, Snoozles.”

“I think we’ll work it out.” Sokka said. “For Katara and Zuko’s sake.”

“Right, so Katara can marry her little avatar and so you get Zuko.” 

Sokka stopped for a second. “Shut up.”

“Hey, I’m only telling the truth.” Toph shrugged.

The meeting went exactly as well as Sokka had planned. As expected, Zuko did well in proposing ideas and supporting clauses he wanted added into the treaty. Sokka watched proudly when Zuko spoke, often making suggestions concerning Water Tribe politics and dynamics. As good as it felt to create change in the Southern Water Tribe, it felt good to at least try to make a difference in the whole world. 

“Alright,” Katara said, concluding their meeting. “We’ve made some good progress tonight. Toph, do you have an estimate for any time constraints we might have?”

“Well, considering the Sokka’s point about the South’s pressure for a proposal within a year plus the trade routines of the other nations, I’d say we have another six months, maybe a year?” Toph suggested.

“The council is expecting Zuko to propose by the end of the year.” Sokka explained. “They’ll probably expect a wedding in the Fire Nation at most six months after.”

“So a year?” Aang confirmed. Sokka and Toph nodded.

“Cool.” Katara said. “I think we can adjourn for the night. It’s getting late anyway and I got a raging stomach and headache.”

“You okay?” Zuko asked. 

Katara nodded. “Yeah, it happens a lot. Its not big deal.”

“Maybe you should be a vegetarian like me, sweetie.” Aang nudged jokingly. Katara chuckled and shook her head.

“I’ll be fine, you guys.” She insisted. “Don’t worry about me. Go get some sleep.”

After a chorus of goodnights, Katara and Aang closed their doors and the rest of the group began the return to their rooms. 

“Night night, Snoozles.” Toph winked. “You too, Sparky.”

“You can pick another nickname, I’m twenty years old.” Sokka called after her as she felt her way to her room. 

“Nah.” Toph yelled in response.

Sokka and Zuko reached their room and got ready to sleep. Weirdly, Zuko sat on his old cot that still sat on the floor. 

“You’re not actually gonna sleep there, are you?” Sokka asked. 

“Uh,” Zuko looked a little pink. “I didn’t know if you wanted me in bed with you again.”

“You’ve said so much dumb shit, Zuko, but that is by far the dumbest.” Sokka scooted over in his bed, tapping next to him. “Now, push the dumb cot under my dumb bed and come here.”

Zuko smiled gently. “Yes, sir.” 

Once Zuko had successfully climbed into Sokka’s bed, they shut off the light. Even in the darkness, Sokka could see Zuko’s bright eyes.

For the first time, Zuko kissed him without asking first (which Sokka didn’t mind at all). It felt different this time, still warm, but less gentle. Hungrier, more desperate, more breathless. 

“Goodnight.” Zuko whispered. 

Sokka pressed a gentle kiss onto Zuko’s forehead. “Goodnight."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> my babies, i love them. thanks as always for the kudos, bookmarks, and absolutely lovely comments. plz plz plz keep them coming. i prob wont respond to them all from now on because of the sheer volume of them (i am lazy) but i PROMISE that i read and value them all. 
> 
> shit gets real next chapter. stay tuned ;)


	13. the waterbending master learns the truth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiya!! we're gonna have a lot of consecutive updates this week bc i just HAVE to continue. plz enjoy this change of scenery in the form of katara's pov! 
> 
> as always, remember to leave comments. reading them gives me so much joy. 
> 
> enjoy ;)

Even after a whole nights sleep, one without the plague of the usual nightmares, Katara felt exhausted. Though she felt notably relieved, noting that her nausea and headache dissipated from last night, she still felt different. Not bad, not good. Just different. 

She lifted herself out of bed, rubbing her eyes and stretching her arms. Her body was sore, but that was unsurprising considering the rather physical nature of the forms she had shown her students the day before. Eventually, still sitting at the edge of her bed and trying to collect her thoughts, Katara heard her boyfriend’s voice ripple through the air.

“Early classes today?” Aang murmured sleepily. 

“Yeah.” Katara wiggled her toes as they dangled slightly above the ground.

“You okay?” Aang sat up, eyes still semi-closed. “You sound tired.”

“I’m fine, just sore from yesterday’s lesson.” The water bending master said, cracking her knuckles and fluttering her fingers.

“What about your head? Stomach?” 

Katara smiled. “I’m feeling much better, _doctor_.”

“Mm.” Aang hummed. “Good. But if it comes back, I officially insist you go pay your Grandma a visit.”

“Deal.”

Aang pressed a kiss onto her bare shoulder and rolled over to sleep some more. Within minutes, Katara could once again hear his gentle breathing. She put her feet on the floor, the cold sending a quick jolt up her spine. Without thinking, she got herself ready to teach: hair, parka, boots, flask. 

The walk to the training course was only a few short minutes, but it was the best part of Katara’s mornings. She’d say hello to local fishermen and merchants as they set out for a day at see. She tossed a coin to a family friend’s jerky stand in exchange for a small blue pouch filled with the best seal jerky in the world (at leas, to Katara and her family). Arriving at the course, she patiently munched on her jerky as parents trickled in, dropping off their young children. Seeing both boys and girls get dropped off for Katara’s bending lessons warmed her inside faster than any drink could. 

However, after a few minutes of instruction, Katara’s headache and stomach ache came back in full force. Normally, she’d be able to hide it and bare it. But when it came to teaching, being relatively incapacitated made Katara _very_ cranky. That was something she wished she could change about herself. Unlike Aang, or Sokka, or Hakoda, Katara had quite the temper. Even Toph, so quick to rough people up, rarely let anything get under her skin. The only other person with a temper like hers was Zuko, but they had agreed that Katara’s was just a little worse. 

“Koyo, relax your arms,” Katara corrected. “You’re way too stiff.”

“I’m trying, Master Katara.” The little boy responded, somehow tensing up more. Koyo was one of the group’s later bloomers, always lagging just a bit behind the others. In today’s lesson on simple movements of whater, some students had already gotten a steady stream. Koyo, on the other hand, didn’t shift the water at all. Usually she didn’t mind, but Katara’s headache was now making her head pound like no other. She couldn’t figure out why, but she felt far more frustrated with Koyo than before. 

“Well, try harder.” She snapped. She immediately regretted as Koyo there his arms down in frustration, tears welling up in his eyes.

“I’m sorry…” Koyo whispered. Katara quickly told all the others to take a break and the children dispersed to go to the bathroom or eat their little snacks or push each other into the snow. 

“Don’t be sorry, Koyo,” Katara knelt down to meet the child. “I’m the one who should be sorry. I’m feeling a little icky and it’s making me cranky, but that doesn’t mean I should take it out on you.”

“That’s okay,” Koyo sniffled. “I’m just having trouble keeping up.”

“And that’s okay! I know I had the most trouble mastering the basics when I was still learning how to waterbend.” The water bending master smiled softly.

“Yeah, but now you’re the best waterbender in the world!” The little boy said.

Katara chuckled. “I appreciate that you think that, but the truth is that I’m not. I still have got to so much to learn.”

“How?” Koyo asked. “You’re the teacher, you know everything.”

“Even teachers and masters don’t know everything.” Katara shook her head. “There are so many styles of waterbending from the North, South, and even former Fire Nation colonies that I don’t even know about.”

“Really?” Koyo’s eyes lit up. 

“You bet.” Katara gently tapped her finger “There’s still so much that we haven’t learned as benders, and even when we learn, we’re bound to mess it up sometimes. You’ll get there in time, Koyo.” 

“Thanks, Master Katara.” Koyo gave Katara his best hug, though his short arms didn’t fully manage to wrap around her thick parka. 

“Now go take a little break with the others,” Katara said. As Koyo ran off, she shouted after him. “and them to stop pushing each other into snowbanks!”

Katara managed to get through the rest of her bending lessons with only one healing lesson left after lunch time. Still, she wasn’t feeling fully like herself.

“Spirits, Katara,” said her friend Nini, a healer from the Northern Tribe who acted as Katara’s assistant in healing lessons. “You look exhausted.”

“Thanks, you look great too.” Katara shot back sarcastically. 

“I know.” Nini flipped her hair jockingly. “You wanna take the rest of the day off? You look like you could use a nap.”

“Actually, that’s a pretty good idea.” Katara said. “You sure you can handle it?”

Nini scoffed. “Yeah, don’t worry. You sure you don’t need to pay Kanna a visit?”

Katara sat up from her bench. “Well, considering you’re now the second person who’s told me that, I guess I should.” 

“Sounds good, _sifu._ ” Nini teased. Katara stuck her tongue out at her and made her way to her Gran Gran’s residence. 

“Good luck with the students.” Katara called as she started to leave. “Try not to kill any of them.”

“No promises!”

Truthfully, Katara had felt a little guilty about how little she visited Gran Gran. She tried to go at least once a month, but with the new addition of the treaty combined with her lessons, she barely had time. She just hoped it wouldn’t be too much of a problem. 

On her way to the igloo, the new-age post-war buildings began to dwindle. Katara had reached the elder’s residence, a bunch of igloos that closely resembled what the South Pole had looked like in Katara’s childhood. Though Kanna was technically a part of the Chief’s family and had been given many offers to live in the palace, she adamantly insisted that she stay with the other elders in the igloos. 

“Hi, Gran Gran.” Katara called into the ice structure, hoping her aged grandmother would hear it. (Despite the small space, Kanna’s hearing had significantly dwindled over the last few years).

“Katara!” Gran Gran surrounded her in a warm hug. She eyed her granddaughter up and down for a moment before taking a seat. “It’s been too long, sweetie, why haven’t you visited?”

Katara looked at the ground. “I’m so sorry, I know I should visit more.”

“Eh,” Gran Gran waved her hand. “At least you visit me more than Sokka. Though I’d say both of you have a lot on your plates. You must be tired.”

“Actually,” Katara crouched onto her knees in the snow across from Gran Gran. “That’s part of the reason I came to see you. I’ve been feeling kind of different lately and I’m not sure as to why.”

Gran Gran smiled. “Different? Good or bad?”

“Both? Or neither?” Katara said. “I’ve been having these headaches and bouts of nausea for a while now. I only threw up twice, but that’s because Toph made me try this weird food she made. Plus, I feel exhausted. That’s the bad part, but I just feel something is…different?”

“I suppose you could say that.”

“Gran Gran, do you know what’s going on with me?” Katara frowned. “Can you feel it?”

“The question is,” Gran Gran cocked her head to the right. “Can _you_?”

Katara sighed. She knew that move, she had tried it many times on her own students when they first started waterbending. This was still a part of healing that Katara had yet to master. She took a deep breath, trying to feel the energy radiating off of her body. 

“I feel something,” Katara said. “But I don’t know what it is.”

“Katara, in this different feeling you have, is heaviness a part of it?” Gran Gran now stood, clearly trying to guide Katara to the answer.

“Now that you say that, I think so.” Katara muttered.

“Now, I can check and make sure.” Gran Gran cooed. “But I think you know.”

It hit Katara like a brick to the chest. Now, she most certainly wanted to puke.

“Uh…” Katara groaned, her eyes widening.

“If you’re gonna yak, make sure you do it outside, honey.” 

Katara collected herself. “You said you could make sure?”

Gran Gran nodded. “If it gives you comfort, sure. When was the last time you bled?”

Katara felt like an idiot. “I don’t even remember, like two months ago maybe?”

They checked. It was confirmed. Katara began chewing on the inside of her mouth harder than she had done in years. She gave her grandmother a hug on the way out. She tried her best to stifle every single emotion she was feeling on the walk back to the palace, praying nobody would comment on the fact that she looked like she had seen a spirit. 

Now, for the first moment she dreaded: telling Aang.

Katara sat on her bed with her legs crossed, picking at her fingernails. It was almost time for dinner, which meant Aang would be back from a meeting in a few minutes. She thought about how he had spent much of the five years since the war ended in the South Pole with her, sometimes taking a trip to the Earth Kingdom. She thought about how he made a promise to move to other nations once the South was back on its feet (meaning once Katara had gotten married). She thought about how much work was left to be done in the world, not only with the treaty. People in the colonies clashed constantly, anti-bending and anti-non-bending disputes growing more and more in Cranefishtown, the Earth Kingdom monarchy always on the brink of collapse, the empty Air Temples that stood as a haunting reminder of the war. 

The door creeped open. “Honey, I’m home!” Aang joked, closing the door behind him.

“How was your day?” Katara tried to joke in response. 

“Boring and stressful at the same time,” the avatar plopped down next to her. “And you?”

Katara scoffed. “I’ve been better.” That was an understatement. 

Aang frowned. “Are you still not feeling good? Did you talk to Kanna?”

“Yup.” Katara took Aang’s hand, gripping it tightly.

“Did you figure out what’s going on?”

Katara felt her stomach drop. “Yup.”

“Are you gonna tell me what it is?”

Katara’s nerves were getting the best of her, she could barely string along a sentence.

“Baby.” She blurted out.

Aang laughed nervously. “Huh?”

“Baby.” Katara repeated. “I’m having a baby. We’re having a baby.” Katara felt like a child babbling. 

“Oh? Oh! Oh...” Aang exlaimed. Every ‘oh’ seemed to carry a new emotion. Confusion. (Brief) Delight. Concern.

“I don’t know what to do.” Katara admitted.

“That makes two of us.”

“Shit,” Katara cursed. “What is this gonna mean for the treaty? For us?”

“I can’t tell you what it’ll mean for the former,” Aang wrapped his arm around her. “But I know that we’re gonna get through this. You, me, and now our kid. I know this is a dire situation and a surprise, but I’d be lying if I said that news didn’t make me happy.”

“Really?”

Aang nodded. “Trust me, its happiness mixed with terror. But happiness nonetheless.”

“But we had plans to travel before, finish up important work, get married — ” Katara began.

“Time is a construct, my love. Doesn’t matter what order we do things in, we know that we love each other. And while I will say that I am younger than anticipated as I hear this news, life is short.” Aang said. “We’ve never really been the traditional type. Why start now?”

Katara managed a smile, but she felt worry creep back into her mind again. “Aang, are you prepared giving up this child if it means keeping the peace?”

Aang’s expression darkened. “Yes.”

Katara took a shaky breath. “Now what?”

“I guess now we gotta let the group know. Tonight, after dinner.”

“Right.” Katara said. 

That was the second thing she dreaded: Telling the group. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> a couple of yall guessed this in the comments already, so good job. how do we go from here? shit gets ~realer~ next chapter. youll see ;)
> 
> leave kudos/bookmarks if you haven't already and once again, comment comment comment!!! i read them all and i love them all. 
> 
> see you soon!


	14. the prince gets bad news

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello!! i originally intended for this chapter to be up yesterday (considering i wrote it immediately after the previous one but i got a little distracted. thank you for the literal barrage of comments on the previous chapter, particularly one from @Nikolights777. it perfectly describes the political and emotional implications of the narrative decision i made last chapter, so i suggest you give it a read. 
> 
> as always, enjoy!

Zuko wasn’t expecting to have another meeting so soon after the previous one. They had to work on outlines for their respective sections of the treaty, thoughts had to be collected and made into a cohesive unit. Tonight, he really wasn’t focused on that. He noticed Aang and Katara more quiet at dinner, sharing knowing glances. Zuko knew when he was intruding, so he just joked around with Toph and Sokka. He would gently squeeze Sokka’s hand under the table, hoping Toph wouldn’t notice. Naturally she did, tossing both of them a wink when the other wasn’t looking. 

Truthfully, Zuko didn’t know what their meeting could possibly be about. They had established a timeline, delegated duties, and checked every known Alliance and international law about treaties. They were ready. _What could possibly be wrong so soon?_

That thought freaked out Zuko a little. He insisted to Sokka, fingers intertwined in his—no, _their_ —bed, that he was worried he’d mess something up. And while the General of the South denied it to a fault, Zuko couldn’t help but feel this was a mess he had caused. 

They entered Aang and Katara’s room, shutting the door in their wake. Zuko was laughing at Sokka and Toph, who were still somehow cracking jokes since dinnertime. Katara didn’t look so amused. 

“So,” she began shakily. “I wanted to call you guys here because I have something to tell you.”

Aang rubbed her back, staring at the floor. For the first time since Zuko had met him, his face reflected the countless lives before him. 

“What’s up?” Sokka asked, starting to get concerned for his little sister. Zuko felt his pinky brush up against the other man’s hand as it gripped the floor.

“I’m so sorry, I don’t know how it all happened…” Katara started to cry, which broke Zuko’s heart. He knew how much she hated crying in front of people.

“Spit it out, Sugar Queen,” Toph said, her voice filled with an unfamiliar gentle quality.

“I’m pregnant.” Katara mustered before breaking down into wretched, heaving sobs mixed with profuse apology. The way she cried shocked Zuko to his core, not only because he hated seeing his friend like this, but because he himself had cried like that before. Tears streaming down her face, Katara said the words ‘I’m so sorry’ maybe a hundred times in-between ragged breaths. She was like a child, begging for mercy. She was like Zuko, at the mercy of his father. 

Zuko tried to bury that thought as quick as possible. He glanced over to Sokka, who’s face twisted back and forth from confusion and fear. 

Toph walked over, placing a hand on Aang’s shoulder as he held his crying girlfriend. For a moment, Zuko thought she would say something comforting. Then he realized this was Toph. So, like clockwork, she smacked the avatar right upside the back of his head.

“Ow…” he muttered gingerly. 

“What in the name of all that is holy were you two dumbasses thinking?!” Toph shouted. 

“We didn’t do this on purpose!” Katara shot back.

Toph scoffed with some hysterical anger. “Well, you could’ve kept it in your pants until we were done with this bullshit!”

“Alright,” Sokka cut in. “can we _please_ stop talking about my sister’s pants? And focus on what we gotta do now?”

“What do you suggest?” Toph sat back down, arms crossed.

“Well, one option is that you could have the kid and we keep writing the treaty throughout your pregnancy?” Sokka suggested.

Toph shook her head. “Even if we tried to keep it secret, what are they supposed to do with it once its born? What happens if the Council says no and Katara marries Zuko? Where does it go? Plus, there’s a clause in the Water-Fire Alliance treaty that says neither party is allowed to have children with anyone else.”

“Toph is right,” Aang spoke for the first time. “Its too risky to wait it out, especially since people are expecting a proposal by the end of the year.”

“Okay, then we need to pass the treaty soon then, that way Katara and Aang can freely have this child without a bounty over their heads.” Sokka said.

Katara raised her head out of her hands. “So, what’s the timeline now?”

Sokka took a deep breath. “First thing we need to do is a proposal very soon. It’ll lower any suspicion about whether or not the current treaty is being obeyed. Then you’d have to get married within a month of that. That way, if the new treaty isn’t accepted, we can pass off the kid as Zuko’s.”

Zuko felt his heart stop completely. It was one thing to marry Katara. At least at this point, they were friends. They could live a happy, quiet life together, never having to conceive an heir because Zuko wasn’t the one on the throne. Now, if the new treaty proposal failed, Zuko would not only marry someone he didn’t want to marry, he would be a father to a child that wasn’t his. A child with the ancestry of races his family _slaughtered._

“Zuko, what do you think?” Sokka asked, momentarily bringing him out of his thoughts.

Zuko couldn’t even begin to organize his thoughts. “The Fire Nation would be furious if the prince came home with a new wife who had a child out of wedlock and against the law of a treaty. We’ve got a month, two months tops.”

“Mmm.” Toph hummed. “Yeah, we’re fucked.”

“Hey, hey, hey,” Sokka responded. “No, we are not. So the stakes are higher? That’s good! No risk, no reward. As long as we get a proposal by this weekend, we’ll be on track to pass this treaty with flying colors.”

“I don’t know…” Katara groaned.

Sokka stood up. Zuko could tell how hard he was trying to keep their group from falling apart. “We can do this okay? We overthrew oppressive governments and led our nations before we even turned eighteen! We can convince a couple of old guys on some council to pass some treaty.”

“This isn’t some treaty, Sokka.” Toph said. “This changes everything the world has ever known about international relations, about peace, about trade, about governing. You guys need to realize that we have a slim chance of succeeding.”

“A slim chance is better than no chance.” Sokka said, looking at Zuko. His sharp blue eyes met Zuko’s, pleading with him to agree. 

“I’m with Sokka.” Aang held Katara’s hand tightly. “Any chance of being able to change things for the better is good enough for me. Katara?”

Katara nodded, wiping her tears and shifting her expression to a determined one. “Yeah. We can handle it.”

“Toph, are you on board?” Sokka asked.

Toph huffed. “Fine. But don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Zuko?” Sokka turned to face him. 

Zuko didn’t know what to say. No matter what way he looked at it, the plan they had just conceived was the only one that would work. That left Zuko two options: they could either succeed, ushering in a new era of freedom and peace, where people were free to marry who they wanted without fear of political disputes. Or, they could fail. And Zuko would be resigned to spending his entire life back in the Fire Nation with Katara, who would undoubtedly be miserable away from her home and away from the love of her life. He would be resigned to being a father when he still didn’t know how to take care of himself. He would live in a world without Sokka, which was by far the most depressing thought. 

“I’m in.” Zuko said.

Sokka, despite all the crazy shit that had just happened, grinned. Zuko couldn’t tell if he was afraid or impressed or turned on by this completely unearned confidence. Maybe all of the above.

“We’re gonna need all hands on deck,” Sokka delegated. “I’ll send word to Suki, she’ll help. Zuko, maybe you can get Azula, Ty Lee, and Mai on board?”

Zuko’s heart began to pound even more, tightening his chest. “I’m on it.”

The meeting adjourned with much less pride and optimism than before. Toph sauntered away to her room but not before embracing Katara and Aang, whispering a soft apology in their ears that Zuko barely heard. 

Zuko felt like he was going to explode. He desperately wanted to go back to his and Sokka’s room so he could calm down in private, but Sokka caught his arm. 

“Stay for a sec?” Sokka asked, with a new seriousness he lacked during the meeting. Zuko nodded quietly, praying he could still breathe. 

Katara flung herself over her brother. “I’m so stupid.”

“Don’t talk like that.” Sokka said firmly. “Besides, I stuck around a little longer because I wanted to congratulate you guys.”

Katara scoffed. “For what? Ruining everything?”

“Look, I know this isn’t how any of us planned things.” Sokka took both his sister’s and the avatar’s hands into his. “I know that under different circumstances, and probably five years later, you guys would be a lot happier. But you two will land on your feet. As much as it makes me wanna puke sometimes, you are meant for each other. This baby is gonna be the luckiest kid in the world.”

“Thanks.” Katara whispered. “And Zuko, I’m so unbelievably sorry for the situation this puts you in.”

As Zuko froze, Sokka shot him a look that desperately said _Say something right now._

“I’m sorry too.” Zuko said, trying to hide the fear and bitterness he was feeling. He thought he Sokka’s eyes flicker with hurt for a moment, but he ignored it. 

“Goodnight, guys.” Aang began to close the door. 

“‘Night.” Sokka called back as the door shut, leaving him and Zuko in an empty hallway. 

And just like that, Zuko’s panic began to set it. His chest felt like it was about to collapse. He felt like he was being suffocated just by normal air. He bit back tears as hard as he could and tried to take deep breaths, but they only got shallower as time went on. When they finally reached their bedroom, Zuko slammed the door behind them. He slid down the door, his head in his hands, trying to regain control of his breathing. With every breath he took, however, he felt the control slip from his fingers like sand at the beach. 

“Zuko,” Sokka knelt calmly. “Can you breathe?”

Zuko wanted to scream but he felt like somebody had taken his lungs and squeezed all the air out of them. All he could manage was a whine, reminiscent of a ‘no’.

“What do you need?” Sokka’s calm voice was phasing in and out of what Zuko could register. His head and heart pounded. Soon, he was spiraling. The more he thought about the endless possibilities of once again being trapped in the Fire Nation again, the more he wanted to scream. He thought about how he would be dragging Katara there too, away from her family and with a child she wasn’t ready for with a man who wasn’t the child’s father. 

“Zuko?” Sokka repeated quieter now. Zuko hung his head in some kind of shame. He felt like a child. He felt like he did when he was a child. Helpless, trapped, small. He was supposed to be grown up now, the Prince Regent of the Great Fire Nation. Yet, he sat quietly gasping for air against the door of a bedroom in the South Pole. 

“I’m sorry.” Zuko finally had the strength to speak.

“Don’t be. You’ve got nothing to be sorry for.” Sokka said, wrapping the prince into his arms. The smell of Sokka’s clothes was familiar, calming. 

“I’m scared.” Zuko breathed. “I don’t know if I can do this.”

“Yes, you can.” Sokka cradled Zuko’s head, which rested on his shoulder.

“What makes you so sure?”

“Because that’s who you are, Zuko.” Sokka whispered. “You keep fighting no matter how hard it is. No matter how much you want to give up, no matter how many times life knocks you on your ass, you get back up.” 

Those words rang in his ears as he pressed himself closer against Sokka’s chest. He wanted to say everything on his mind, but the sentences just couldn’t form. 

“Now,” Sokka gently lifted them to a standing position. “Let’s go to bed. Tomorrow is a new day.You got a proposal to do by the end of the week.”

Zuko nodded, climbing into bed. He wished he could say that he was feeling good enough to sleep, but that would be a glorious lie. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> mmmm angst. and there will only be more. i've had a particularly angsty day today (dont ask lmao) so the next chapter should be up soon and even more angery. anyways, keep leaving kudos/bookmarks if you havent already. i appreciate yalls comments so much, i promise i read literally every single one. 
> 
> see you soon <3


	15. the prince gets snippy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yall, this chapter was such a bitch to write mostly because i know exactly what i want to do with the next few chapters but not this one, so my apologies if its not as good as the previous ones. i promise the next few will be less ass. for now, have a short angsty chapter bc my brain cannot put two and two together at the moment.
> 
> thanks as always, enjoy :)

Claiming that the week following Katara’s pregnancy reveal was smooth would not be true in the slightest. In fact, it was easily the most tumultuous week Zuko had experienced in the South Pole and certainly the most stressed he had been in a very long time. The week was filled with early mornings—which at this point, Zuko didn’t mind considering the earlier sunrise—and tense exchanges with Sokka. Zuko was not proud of the latter. 

First on the agenda of proposal activities that needed to be completed in under a few days was the betrothal necklace. Sokka had asked that a red volcanic rock be shipped down from the Fire Nations months ago for Zuko to carve. However, Zuko’s hurricane of a brain couldn’t possibly focus long enough to complete the pendant with skill.

Zuko whittled away at the stone with a knife, while Sokka spent his time curing down a strap of leather and cleaning its edges.

“How’s it coming along?” Sokka asked. 

Normally, Zuko would try and come up with some sarcastic quip that he could shoot back at Sokka, but he really couldn’t bring himself to do it. How could he possibly make jokes right now? Everything that he had been mentally preparing himself for since he arrived had suddenly been moved up by several months. Responsibilities he was certainly not prepared for now suddenly taunted him. 

Zuko suddenly remembered Sokka asked him a question. “Mmm.” He grumbled. 

Zuko could feel himself getting angry with the insubordinate stone. Every time he tried to smooth out bits and pieces, the rock only became more jagged and more uneven. He hadn’t even begun carving the design onto the rock.

“We’re kind of on a time crunch here,” the general said, oddly upbeat. “so try and get that smooth by the end of the day so you can start carving. It needs to be done by tomorrow night.”

“Uh-huh.” Zuko said shortly.

“And we’re going ice dodging the day after tomorrow so be ready for that.” Sokka reminded.

“I know!” Zuko was starting to get really annoyed. It was bad enough he was internally panicking about the implications of their plan failing miserably; now, he had Sokka chirping in his ear constantly about deadlines that weren’t supposed to happen for a long time. He was suddenly lost in his thoughts, consumed by the idea of being trapped in that palace for the rest of his life _again,_ Katara by his side. He thought of her, miserably living in the nation that colonized her own, that tried to wipe her out, without the love of her life and father of her child. Zuko clearly wasn’t concentrating, so he wasn’t shocked when he pushed the blade against the stone the wrong way, nicking his finger. He winced in pain for a moment. 

“Yikes,” Sokka said. “Let me get you a bandage.”

“It’s fine.” Zuko insisted. No, it wasnt, his finger was bleeding.

“Just let me help you.” Sokka crouched down, wrapping a bandage around his finger. “How’d this happen? Were you holding the knife right? Here, let me show you how to hold the knife—”

“I know how to fucking hold the knife, Sokka!” Zuko snapped. He saw Sokka’s expression darken for a moment, the general biting on the inside of his cheeks and glancing at the ground.

“Okay. Sorry.” Sokka said quietly.

Zuko wanted to say sorry. He wanted to profusely apologize for snapping at him, wrap in a hug and just go to sleep, waking up when this whole mess was over. But he knew that wasn’t realistic. They didn’t have time to sleep and make up. They would just have to address it later. 

The prince tried to regroup and keep going. With a bandaged finger, he tried to hold the stone in his hand and the knife in the other, but the ever present sharp edges of the rock cut at the wound. He grimaced again.

“You know what, how about I just take this to Toph and she can smooth it out herself?” Sokka suggested, giving a front of positivity. “Volcanic rock must be a lot harder to smooth than the stuff we use down here.”

“Why didn’t we do that four hours ago?” Zuko sighed.

“It is technically cheating.”

“Who cares?” Zuko rested his head in his hands. 

Zuko couldn’t see him, but he could feel Sokka frowning. “I care. The High Council cares. The tribe cares.”

“Right.” Zuko said. That statement didn’t really help. All it did was serve as a reminder of all the eyes on him for what was to come. 

He spent the rest of the day practically silent. He would just sit in silence as he watched Toph fiddle with the tough red stone, smoothing into a round pendant. His attention was only partially there during the now nightly meetings held by the group. He absentmindedly, barely described the existence of the treaty to his guards. It didn’t even matter to him that Mai and Ty Lee were more than happy to join their cause, while Azula hesitantly listened. All that consumed his mind was fear, stress, and anger. 

When he finally finished a rudimentary version of the final carvings on the betrothal necklace, Zuko’s feelings didn’t diminish. There was no relief. Just the knowledge that in less than two months, everything about his life would change. 

The next morning was ice-dodging, something Zuko had been dreading since the start. He and Sokka had gone on a few practice rounds before, but the rough seas of the South Pole were nothing like those of the Fire Nation, where Zuko learned to sail as a young boy. 

Sokka’s voice tore him from his thoughts. “So, I have some updates.”

“Mmm.” Zuko hummed, taking off his robes and preparing for another sleepless night.

“I just got word from Suki, she’ll be here by the end of the week for the proposal.” Sokka continued. “And Katara and I requested audience with the Council of Four Nations. They said weshould be able to present our grievances in three weeks.”

“Uh-huh.” Zuko said mindlessly. Sokka furrowed his eyebrows. 

“You haven’t said much these past few days.” The general stood up, putting a hand on Zuko’s shoulder.

“There hasn’t been much to say.” 

“Sure, there has,” Sokka chuckled. “We’re completely on track to get this treaty passed. This is good news, Zuko.”

“Sorry that I’m a little preoccupied mentally.” Zuko hissed. How could Sokka not understand what was going on? They had such a little chance of succeeding and yet Sokka seemed convinced everything would be just peachy. Zuko didn’t dare look him in the eye, but he could feel Sokka’s fists clench and eyes narrow.

“Okay.” Sokka muttered, audibly climbing back into bed. “You coming?”

Zuko shook his head. “In a bit. I just need time to think.”

“Fine.” Sokka sighed. Zuko could hear the frustration in his voice. “I’m going to bed. Goodnight.”

The morning of ice-dodging came faster than Zuko wanted. He donned the ceremonial blue and silver robes tentatively, Sokka helping him with the layers. 

“Hold still, princess.” Sokka grumbled, tying Zuko into his blue coat.

“I can’t move in this.” Zuko said. “How am I supposed to steer the ship?”

“You’ll be fine, stop complaining.” Sokka himself was dressed in similar ceremonial clothing. 

“Let’s just get this over with.” Zuko breathed. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yike. anyways, i promise they'll be more stuff happening soon and the next few chapters will be much longer. my brain just isn't working this week. no thoughts. head empty.
> 
> keep leaving kudos/bookmarks. comments are, as always, incredibly appreciated. keep them coming!
> 
> much love <3


	16. the general gets in an argument

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hello! i am coming to you with a late night update again bc i just needed to write this now. as i promised, this chapter is about 1000 words longer than the previous one. so get ready for some angsty, fighty, dramatic shit. as always, i appreciate you reading and sticking with me so far. 
> 
> enjoy!

Ice-dodging was a disaster. Sokka spent the entirety of the boat ride furiously barking orders as if Zuko was one of his soldiers. Scratch that, as if Zuko was one of his _insubordinate_ soldiers who thought they knew better than the General of the South, who were convicted that being reckless was on the same level as martyrdom, who didn’t listen no matter how you approached them. Every time Zuko swung the ship in between the massive glaciers, Sokka held onto his robes as if he were going to die. They narrowly missed the sharpest points of ice.

“Zuko, we need to steer the ship to the port side!” Sokka yelled over the whipping winds and crashing waves. Zuko steered the opposite way. “Your _other_ port side, genius!”

“Stop telling me what to do!” Zuko shouted in response. 

The general groaned. It had been like this for days now: Sokka constantly walking on eggshells because, somehow, everything he said set the prince off. Sokka shoving down angry thoughts and feelings of hurt as Zuko spat disrespectful words under his breath. Sokka pretending like everything was fine. He wasn’t exactly sure as to why it was happening, but he sure was sick of it. 

The reached the final pass of glaciers. Icy sea water soaked the deck and their ceremonial robes, plastering their clothes to their bodies. Zuko shivered as he took the blue and silver robes cloak off of his shoulders, casting it to the ground. Sokka’s blood boiled at the sight of it. Those robes were his when he first ice dodging, his father’s before that. How could Zuko just cast it away like it was nothing? He never had a problem with respecting Southern Water Tribe customs before. In fact, he was overly respectful of everything. Now, on the other hand, he had spent the last week disrespecting everything Sokka had ever shown him. He was acting like the person Sokka expected to get off the boat that winter morning. The pass of glaciers grew closer, with just a small space between them, but Zuko was not moving the ship.

“What in the name of Tui and La are you doing?” Sokka demanded. “We’re gonna hit the ice!”

“We’ll make it.” Zuko responded. “Why can’t you trust me on this?”

“Oh, I dunno, maybe its because we are barreling at these fucking chunks of ice with absolutely no sign changing direction!”

“If you’d just be quiet for once and let me think it through, we wouldn’t have a problem!”

“So you admit it,” Sokka was considering grabbing the control from Zuko. “We have a problem?”

“No!” Zuko kept his course. “Just watch!”

The ship was only now begging to turn, and all Sokka could do was close his eyes and scream. He wasn’t entirely expecting to die on an ice dodging trip with someone who wasn’t his son—especially not with a boyfriend—but if he was gonna go out like this, at least it was honorable. 

He felt the ship scrape against the side of the ice and turn around back to the harbor. They were safe. Neither Sokka nor Zuko said anything. 

They reached the members of the High Council. Sokka, drenched, felt his colleagues stare at him. One stepped forward, brushing paint on Zuko’s forehead.

“For Zuko, the mark of the brave. For Sokka, the mark of the trustworthy.” The councilman droned. “Prince Zuko, the Council has deemed your Ice Dodge a success. You are now an honorary member of the Southern Water Tribe.”

Zuko bowed. “Thank you, High Council, for this tremendous honor.”

“You are approved ask for the hand in marriage of Councilwoman and Master Katara. Good luck.”

With a final bow, Zuko stormed off back to the palace, Sokka at his heels. 

Sokka slammed the door behind him. “What was that? You almost killed us.”

“We’re still alive, aren’t we?” Zuko shot back, peeling the wet robes of himself and throwing them to the floor. 

“Oh, I am so grateful.” Sokka said sarcastically. “Is there something wrong?”

Zuko stayed silent. “I’ve got shit on my mind.”

Sokka raised an eyebrow. “What kind of shit?”

“Just a lot, okay?” Zuko snapped, warming himself up. “It doesn’t help that you’ve basically been breathing down my back for the last few days with all these ideas and ‘updates’.”

“Sorry,” Sokka stared at the floor. “But I just wanted to make sure everything is going according to plan. Are you sure there’s nothing wrong? You’ve been in a shit mood like all week.”

“I dunno, _general,_ ” Zuko hissed. Sokka stuffed down anger. “Maybe its because there’s a high chance I’m gonna end up married to Katara by the end of next month when neither of us want that to happen. Or, maybe its the fact that I’m gonna be a father of a child that isn’t mine but belongs to a race my family ethnically cleansed. Maybe that’s got me a little on edge.”

“Zuko,” Sokka tried to be calm. “I know you’re under a lot of stress but we all are — ”

Zuko cut him off. “You _all_ are? You’re not the one in this marriage, Sokka.”

“I may be not, but you’re acting as if the plan failing won’t hurt me too!” Sokka’s anger was starting to build. “My little sister is going to be separated from the man she loves and father of her child in a nation that colonized us and _killed_ our mother. Aang, who is like my little brother, will watch the newest descendant of an Airbender in over one hundred years be passed off as someone other than that while the love of his life is married to you. And you?”

“What about me?”

“Give me a break, Zuko.” Sokka was yelling now. “Don’t you think it hurts _me_ to see you like this? Don’t you think it breaks my fucking heart to watch you be unhappy, watch you be trapped in the place you were abused?”

Zuko scoffed. “The thought of what’s gonna happen to Katara in the Fire Nation drives me crazy. This isn’t all about you, anyway!”

“I know! That’s why I’m trying to pass this treaty!” 

“Please, you heard Toph.” Zuko was standing, his shirtless chest heaving with angry breaths. “Our chance of succeeding is tiny. We’re basically doomed.”

“As long as there is a chance, we should still have hope.” Sokka insisted.

“ _Hope._ ” Zuko snorted. “I spent years in the Fire Nation having ‘ _hope’_ that things would change with my father and all it left me with was disappointment.”

“Things did change with your father.”

“Because we threw him in prison. That’s not what I wanted.” Zuko snapped. “My point is that your ‘hope’ is nothing but a naïve, desperate attempt to cling to a reality that is never going to happen.”

“Spirits, why would you say that?” Sokka was in shock. “You’re Zuko. You never give up. This isn’t like you at all.”

“You don’t know shit about what I’m like.”

“Oh, don’t I?” Sokka said. He was losing it. “Your mom is Ursa and your dad is Ozai, your uncle is Iroh, your cousin is Lu Ten, and your sister is Azula. Your guards besides her are Mai and Ty Lee, they’ve been together for a few weeks now. Your favorite color is maroon and your favorite animal is a turtle-duck. Besides the scar on your face, you’ve got a scar on the small of your back from an accident with your dao swords. You’re afraid of lighting. You like fruit tarts and you hate sea prunes. I know you.”

“That doesn’t change the fact that your unrelenting optimism about this plan will bring all of us nothing but disappointment.” Zuko muttered.

“Yeah? You think so?”

“I know so, Sokka! Wake the fuck up!” Zuko yelled. “You’re sitting here in your little fantasy world, pretending like everything is okay but it isn’t. I’ve been freaking out about this from the moment Katara told me she was pregnant and what have you given me in response? Dismissal. You dismiss any possibility that things could be wrong because it gets in your way, because it draws away your focus. You tell me what to do, dump all these tasks on me, never once asking if I needed to slow down. And Agni forbid the great General of the South focuses on something besides the task at hand, Agni forbid you slow down, Agni forbid you ask me what’s wrong!”

Sokka couldn’t hold in his anger in anymore. “I didn’t ask you what was wrong? Are you fucking serious? All I did was calm you down, ask you if you were okay, let you walk all over me — ”

“That’s not true—”

“I’m not fucking done, Princess, don’t interrupt me.” Sokka spat. “For the last week, all you have done is sit around and mope. I get that the prospect of fatherhood is scary, I get that marrying Katara is scary, but if it bothers you so much, do something about it! That’s why I am fighting my hardest to try and fix our shitty, broken alliance between our countries. Our alliance hangs on by a fucking thread every single day because it relies on these shit marriages! Every single day, I listen to Councilmen complain about how if something goes wrong with Lu Ten and Yue, we’ll be back at each others’ throats. Who’s fault is that? Who colonized my fucking country, killed my loved ones, stole our culture, and placed all the work of the alliance in the Southern Water Tribe? The Fire Nation.”

“Is that how you really feel?” Zuko asked, obviously hurt. Part of Sokka wanted to take it back but then he realized, why should he? 

“Yes.” Sokka said quietly. “I thought it was so incredible and rare that you had so much respect for my culture, but now I realize that was the _bare fucking minimum._ ”

“I do respect your culture, Sokka.” Zuko insisted angrily. “You were the one who told me not to blame myself for my nation’s wrongdoings.”

“That’s still true. But it doesn’t change the fact that you have not only disrespected me this week, you’ve disrespected my whole culture.”

“I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but basically the whole time we were working against the current treaty is an affront to your culture. Your sister getting pregnant is disrespectful to your culture. We’ve thrown cultural rules out of the window at this point, but now it suddenly is this travesty? Why is that?” Zuko crossed his arms. 

_“_ You do not get to tell me what is and is not disrespectful to _my_ culture. Not after the literal _ethnic cleansing_ my people went through at the hands of the Fire Nation. I have every right to be mad at you for the way you discarded pieces of our way of life like its garbage. You know, there are a lot qualities that I admire about you, Zuko, but your respect should’ve been automatic. And this week, you threw it all away because you were stressed.”

“ _Stressed?”_ Zuko hissed. “You think all of this is _stress?_ You are so motherfucking lucky that you have never had to experience what I experience every single day when I think about this marriage. Panic. Anxiety. The feeling that at any given moment my lungs will collapse in on themselves and I will slowly, agonizingly die in front of everyone. The fact that you’ve put all your faith into this stupid, useless treaty that has a minuscule chance of passing is very telling to me about how you live. You live with blissful ignorance. If you think that this plan will play out in our favor, you’re more of a fucking idiot than I thought you were.”

Sokka couldn’t even begin to process this. “If you hate the treaty so much, why are you a part of this team?”

“You tell me.” Zuko said. 

“You know what?”

“What?”

“No.” Sokka said flatly. “I’m done explaining myself to you. I’m done.” Sokka put on a clean, warm coat over his bare body and slid on his boots. 

“Where are you going?” Zuko asked. He sounded almost helpless. 

“Im leaving before I say something I don’t mean.” Sokka said. “Zuko, I care about you so much. But you need to work some shit out on your own before you talk to me again.” 

It was the truth. Sokka still, after all the words they threw at teacher, cared about Zuko so much. He dared to think the thought _I love him._ But he knew that if he stayed any longer, he’d ruin everything. Maybe Zuko was right. Maybe he was an idiot. All he knew now was that he needed to be alone with his thoughts. 

Sokka set out to Azula’s room. He cursed the fact that they still weren’t allowed to leave Zuko alone. He checked the room, but only Mai and Ty Lee remained. 

“Where’s Azula?” Sokka asked. “I need her to babysit His Royal Pain in my Ass.”

Ty Lee perked up, shaking Mai’s arm off her shoulder. “She went for a walk.”

Sokka frowned. “The sun set a few minutes ago. Its dangerous to be out in the dark all alone.”

“We got in a little disagreement.” Mai said flatly. “She said she needed to think before she set us on fire.”

Sokka shivered. That sounded strongly familiar to what he had said to Zuko. 

“Speaking of,” Ty Lee cut in. “I heard you and Zuko yelling. Is everything okay?”

“Everything is fine.” Sokka said quickly, angrily. Ty Lee shrunk down a little. “I’ll just find someone else.”

Sokka closed the door and walked down the hallway with quick, heavy strides. He was considering just leaving Zuko in the room. But he knew Azula would kill him for leaving him like that and as much as he was furious at Zuko at the moment, he knew he needed someone. He spotted Toph walking towards him in her jade green work clothes, toes curling on the cold floor. 

“Hey, Toph.” Sokka said. He wasn’t even gonna ask. “You’re gonna go watch Zuko for a bit while I clear my head.”

“Trouble in paradise?” She teased.

“Not in the mood.” Sokka muttered. 

“Okay, okay.” Toph said, lifting her hands up defensively. “What do you want me to do with him?”

“Just watch him and make sure he doesn’t do anything stupid.” Sokka responded, beginning to move on.

Toph smirked. “Well, he does something stupid every night.”

“What?”

“You. You’re the something stupid.” She grinned. 

“Shut up, Toph.” Sokka said.

“Fine, sorry, that was the last joke, I promise.” Toph began to walk to his room, a route she had memorized. “Seriously though, are you okay?”

“I will be once I punch a glacier and scream for a little.”

“Alright, don’t hurt yourself. I’ll watch him but you owe me big time.”

“Got it.”

“And Sokka?” She asked one more time.

“What?”

“If you need to talk about your feelings or something…” Toph began. “Go find Aang. He lives for that dumb sappy shit. But for what its worth, I think you guys will be okay.”

Sokka sighed. “I hope you’re right.”

Sokka snatched a torch on his way out of the palace before descending into the icy night. Even toward midsummer, the nights at the South Pole were icy as ever. His eyes glazed over the barely flickering lights of Kirima, some still slowly being lit as the sky grew darker and darker. Word of the successful Ice Dodge should have spread around by now; people were clearly ready for a proposal tomorrow. Sokka sighed, continuing on past the city. Polar Bear Dog Bay seemed like the best place at the moment. A place where he could spend some time to think about what he said to Zuko, what Zuko had said to him. He meant a lot of what he said but why did he still feel guilty? He wondered if Zuko was feeling the same. When he finally reached the spot where he always sat, Sokka felt a jolt up his spine as he saw Azula sitting there, wrapped in her black coat. 

She turned over her shoulder with a blank expression. “So why’d you leave my brother?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> that was a lot. 
> 
> also very important: if i have any indigenous readers out there, please let me know if this is a respectful portrayal of sokka's anger. i feel like too many zukka fics ignore the fact that there is a bit of a colonizer/colonized dynamic to any fire nation x any other nation relationship (but especially x water tribe). especially if they are enemies to lovers and zuko is a colonizer in the beginning, a lot of native atla fans have expressed their discomfort in that aspect of both zukka and zutara. basically what i'm trying to say here is: if you are a reader of mine and you are indigenous, please let me know if there are anything wrong with how i've written zuko and sokka's relationship (and zuko and katara's friendship as well) so i can fix it and do right by you. from one person from a background of genocide to another, i want to make sure you are being respected. 
> 
> on a lighter note, your comments are always so incredibly appreciated so please please please keep them coming. it literally makes my day. so keep leaving comments and kudos. much love <3


	17. the general and the guard

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hey yall! sorry for the gap between updates. i start classes on monday and this whole week has basically been me prepping for that. i'll try to keep at least a weekly update schedule when my classes are in full swing because we are sort of nearing the end of where i want this story to go.
> 
> speaking of which, your comments on this story have been much appreciated. i value all the perspectives presented so so much. the fact that so many of you comment things as simple as an expression of admiration or as complex as whole essays boggles my mind. i'm so grateful you are so invested in my writing.
> 
> anyways, here is chapter 17. thank you as always <3

Sokka stared at Azula. After all of that commotion, all he wanted was some peace and quiet and thinking on his own. But there she was; Azula with her hair no longer in its perfect top-not, strands of hair sticking out all over. Azula, sitting in her coat, the golden seams moving with her arms. Azula, not even shivering, golden eyes burning with the same intensity that Sokka wanted to get away from. It was like he couldn’t escape the Fire Nation royal family. 

_Great, now I gotta deal with her._ Sokka cursed mentally.

“I’ll ask you again, General,” Azula repeated. “Why’d you leave my brother?”

“Its none of your business, Princess.” Sokka said flatly, standing firmly in his place.

“I’m no princess anymore,” Azula stood up from the ledge, arms crossed. “but as my brother’s head prince-guard, it is my job to know where he is if he isn’t with you. So my question stands.”

“Don’t worry, I left him in my room with Toph. She won’t let him out of her sight.”

“Wow, you’re really bad at answering questions.” Azula chuckled. “You told me where he is and who he’s with, but you still haven’t answered why?”

“Why do you care?” Sokka snapped. 

“If it involves Zuko, I care. Simple as that.”

“You take your job really seriously.” Sokka pushed past Azula and slumped on the ledge.

“Obviously.” Azula, surprisingly, took a seat next to Sokka. “But it’s not just a job thing. He’s my family.”

Sokka crossed his legs. Would it be easier to just say silent? He wasn’t in the mood to talk about the fight or really to talk about Zuko at all. He knew it would only make him angrier. Even worse, it made him feel guilty. Not about what he said, but how he said it. He glanced at Azula, whose gaze had not once moved from Sokka since he sat down. Sometimes he forgot how intimidating she could be. 

Sokka sighed heavily. “Fine. We got in a fight.”

“I can tell.” Azula said. “Do you…want to talk about it?”

Sokka raised en eyebrow. His interactions with Azula had been relatively limited in the royal family’s time in the South Pole, but from Zuko’s descriptions, Azula was never one to talk about her feelings. He wanted to convince himself that he didn’t want to talk about it, but the words came spilling out of his mouth.

“Its just this whole time since you all came to the South Pole, Zuko’s been so respectful and decent. But as soon as the whole, um, plan” Sokka hesitated. “got messed up, he’s just been spitting on everything I worked so hard to teach him and everything that’s important to my culture.”

Azula stared at her boots. “I'm well aware. He gets like that when he’s stressed out, you know. Angry. Impulsive.”

“Yeah, but he could’ve just told me he was freaking out. I can’t read his mind!” Sokka said, waving his hands around. “If he had just told me what’s wrong we could’ve figured it out together. Instead, he just took all his anger out on me and everything that’s important.”

“Did you ask him what was wrong?” Azula asked. Sokka felt a pang of guilt in his chest again.

“I guess not.” Sokka said. “When I asked him how he was sometimes, he would say he was fine. Or he wouldn’t say anything at all…”

“There you go,” Azula opened her hand, a small blue flame dancing across her palm and illuminating the growing darkness. “Zuko and I aren’t great at communicating our emotions. We never have been, especially given our upbringing. But he and I differ in the sense that while I tend to just blow up immediately, he just shoves all his anger way down deep until he explodes.”

“So I’ve seen.” The general grumbled. “You’re his sister. What do I do?”

Azula shrugged. “I don’t really know. Relationships have never really come easy to anyone in our family. Don’t take it personally.”

“Great. That solves everything. That’ll make him un-call me a fucking idiot and respect my culture.” Sokka put his face in his hands. 

“Look, why don’t you just talk to him? Calmly?” Azula, for the first time, had a sympathetic look on her face. 

“I want to, but I’m afraid I might blow up at him again. Then we’ll be right where we started.”

“I don’t know what you want me to tell you, I’m not the best advice giver when it comes to love. The girl I like is with someone else.” She said.

Sokka felt his lips form a sympathetic smile. “Ty Lee?”

Azula nodded. “I mean, for a while I was convinced that my feelings for her were just some silly, temporary schoolgirl crush that I’d grow out of. But none of the feelings I feel for her are silly or temporary.”

“I know how that is.” Sokka admitted. It was strange how a few minutes ago he desperately just wanted to be alone but now he felt a strange sense of comfort when talking to the Fire Nation guard. 

“You do?” Azula asked.

“I know what it’s like to not have much of a childhood. My sister and I had to grow up pretty fastwhen our mother died and our father went to fight. When Katara left with Aang, I was in charge. I had no time for romance or crushes or any of that, neither did anyone left in the tribe. My first crush following the war was Yue.” Sokka explained.

Azula’s eyes widened. “Wait, you mean like my cousin’s wife Yue?”

“Northern Water Tribe Princess and future Fire Lady Yue.” Sokka corrected. He saw Azula silently curse herself the same way Zuko did when he said something dumb. “And yeah. I was really into her for a while but eventually it faded.”

“That doesn’t help me, you know.” 

“I’m not done, Princess.”

“Again, I’m not a princess—”

“Hush and let me finish my story.” Sokka chuckled. “Then, there was Suki. She was the first person I ever felt anything real for. It was complicated and stressful and it made me want to rip my hair out sometimes, but our relationship was the first I ever had.”

“What’s your point here?”

“My point is,” Sokka said. “Whatever you feel about Ty Lee, whatever it becomes, it’s important. Silly crushes and infatuation are both important, especially when you grow up without it. Just because something is temporary doesn’t mean it’s not important. Both Yue and Suki made me who I am.”

“Huh.” Azula huffed quietly to herself. “You’re really smart, General. I can see why my brother loves you.”

Sokka felt his heart stop for a moment, as if it was ricocheting around his whole body without stopping. He and Zuko had only been together officially for like a week, yet he himself knew that what he felt for him went farther than just care. He had known it for months. Still, he found himself unable to find the right words.

“I-uh, what-um, love? I don’t—” he stuttered.

Azula let out a low chuckle. “Isn’t it obvious? I mean, he never shuts up about you when he talks to anyone. He laughs with you, he cries with you, he’s doing that insane little treaty plan with you. I’ve never seen him like this before, but my gut tells me its a good thing.”

“Yeah?” Sokka tried to swipe the dumb grin off of his own face. He wasn’t any less mad at Zuko. He still wanted an apology. But he still felt his insides warm up as he thought about him, loving him. 

“Duh.” Azula said. “I think I know what’s happening in his head now.”

“Please, do tell me.”

“He’s scared. Not just scared, terrified. He was happy with you for so long and now everything has been knocked off course. He doesn’t want to lose the life he’s built down here. The life he’s built with you. So, he’s lashing out because terrified of losing someone who makes him so happy.” Azula explained. 

“That doesn’t make it okay to call me names, shoot down my ideas, and spit on my culture.”

“You’re right, it doesn’t.” Azula stood up. “So tell him that. Sit down with him once you’ve both cooled off. I’m sure that scary earthbending girl will knock some sense into him anyway.”

Sokka snorted. “We’ll see. Thank you, Azula.”

“You’re welcome, General.” Azula said. “You know, when Zuko told me of that crazy plan of yours I truthfully thought you were out of your mind. I still think success is a long shot.”

“Eh, join the club.”

“But like I said, you’re smart. I trust you.” Azula brushed the excess snow and ice off of her coat. “And if there’s even a chance my brother could be happy if it succeeds, I’m all in.”

“You care a lot about him.” Sokka murmured.

Azula’s expression darkened slightly. “It wasn’t always like that. But I’m trying to be more sensitive to other people. And be a supportive sister.”

Sokka smiled. “It’s hard, but I think you’re on the right track.”

“I’m glad you think so, General.”

“You don’t have to call me ‘General’, you know.” Sokka said. “Just ‘Sokka’ is fine. You Fire Nation folk are so formal it gives me a headache.”

“Okay.” Azula turned to walk back to the palace. “Sokka.”

Slowly, the silhouette of Azula’s coat disappeared into the night, leaving only the blue flame in her palm as a means to watch her. Sokka watched as that blue flame trailed away until it was no longer there, leaving him alone in his ledge. The moon was high in the sky, illuminating the snow and mountains with a stream of silver light. Sokka was finally alone with his thoughts, though he mentally admit that talking to Azula was more helpful than just sitting alone to stew in his own anger. He twiddled with his fingers, cold and tingling with every emotion he felt at the moment. He wasn’t angry anymore, though. Just sad.

He thought about Zuko even when he tried to think of anything else. His words rung in his ears. He wasn’t feeling anger at those words now, only twinges of shame and hurt. They both had said things they didn’t mean. Even after everything, Sokka just wanted to hold him. To apologize for not asking what was wrong, for dismissing his feelings, for pouring on more layers of stress. To tell him that Sokka’s anger was justified. To explain. But it was the middle of the night and Sokka had stormed out into the night to think. The proposal loomed over their heads like a guillotine. 

Sokka brushed a finger of the bracelet Zuko gave him for his birthday. “ _I love you._ ” He whispered, just barely audible. He needed to fix this. He was done being angry at Zuko when he was angry at the world and angry at their circumstances. He was done wishing he had said and done things. Sokka was done just sitting around and moping; it was time to pass that treaty and win. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> :'). keep leaving comments, comment multiple times, comment anything. i promise every single one brings me such joy. thank you also for all the bookmarks and kudos, keep them comin :)
> 
> maybe one more chapter of emotional tingz and then comes important plot stuff. stay tuned!
> 
> much love as always <3


	18. the prince and the blind girl

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hi friends! i know its been a good week and a half since the last update and im sorry about that. i started university last week (from my bedroom lmao) and ive been having trouble keeping up with the workload. if any of yall are neurodivergent learners like i am, you know how hard school can be. also i've been just emotionally not great, i started this fic shortly after a breakup with a toxic borderline abusive ex and the effects of what he did to me have come back to bite me. its made life kind of hard as of late. 
> 
> as i said in (i think) the notes on the last chapter, i'm going to try to have a more regular update schedule as i start to get adjusted to school. again, we are starting to near the end of the story, so i can't imagine id add anymore than like 10 chapters. we'll see tho! 
> 
> anyways, im very thankful for all of you (as always). enjoy!

Zuko was convinced that everything that happened in the last twenty four hours wasn’t real. How could it be? He spat on things he once respected, he screamed and cursed at someone he loved, and he was consumed by a fear that was spiraling out of control with every single breath he took.Nothing seemed real now, not when everything seemed to be collapsing. The only thing that felt even remotely tangible at the present moment was Sokka, who wasn’t even in the room

Guilt swept Zuko’s body as he thought about the heartbroken, furious eyes of the General of the South that welled with tears and flamed with anger. The sound of the door slamming as he stormed out played over and over in Zuko’s brain like a broken clock. He heard quiet chatter outside of the walls. He heard Toph’s biting sarcasm turn a little softer and Sokka’s voice quiver with emotion. He bit his lip while sitting on the bed, eyes glued to the floor. 

Toph entered hesitantly. “Hiya, Sparky.”

“You here to babysit me?” Zuko asked, continuing to stare at the floor. 

Toph shrugged. “I guess. Both your designated guardians are M.I.A at the present moment, its just precaution.”

She stood in her clothes, looking as regular as ever. The sun had just set and she was clearly exhausted from helping Katara with whatever and her naked toes wiggled slightly on the cold floor. She made her way over to the bed, planting herself on the floor just bellow Zuko. They sat in silence for a while.

“I can handle myself in here, you know.” Zuko muttered. Toph scoffed.

“Yeah, we know, your highness.” She said. “But I promised Sokka I’d keep an eye on you. Well, a foot, I guess? It doesn’t matter, I’m not gonna leave.”

Zuko raised an eyebrow. “Even if I say please?”

“Especially if you say please.”

Zuko sighed. “Fine. While you’re here, can I at least get your opinion on something?”

“Depends.” Toph fiddled with a little piece of scrap metal she found, bending it into various indiscriminate shapes.

“Well, Sokka and I got in this fight—”

“Yeah, I kinda figured.” Toph said. “Look, I’m not a good advice giver concerning relationships. Just talk to Aang or something.”

“He’s got enough on his plate.”

“So do I, Sparky.” She said. “This whole bridal party thing is no joke. So much work. So many formalities. It’s exhausting.”

Zuko wanted to stay silent for a little longer. Actually, maybe he didn’t, but he knew that if he suddenly dumped all this shit about his fight with Sokka on Toph he probably wasn’t going to feel any better. Before long, though, Zuko described the events of the day in consecutive, excruciating detail. Every single thing they said to each other, every expression and emotion. Toph said nothing the whole time. For someone who constantly asserted that she wanted to stay out of people’s business, she seemed like she actually cared. She listened intently as Zuko explained everything, nodding gently.

“That’s what happened.” Zuko finally concluded. “And now I don’t know what to do.”

“That makes two of us.” Toph agreed. “It sounds complicated.”

“It was.” 

“Look, whether we like it or not, the proposal is tomorrow. And Sokka got us an audience with the Council of Four Nations in three weeks. All of this stuff we’re doing is inevitable now.” Toph sighed.

“That doesn’t really make me feel better.”

“It doesn’t matter. The world doesn’t work the way it should and we should fix it. We all have to face problems like earthbenders. Head-on.”

Zuko stood. “And what happens if it doesn’t work? Katara and I have to get married and raise that kid in the Fire Nation. What happens then?”

“Then at least we did something.”

“You yourself said this plan was a longshot.”

Toph shrugged again. “I did. I still believe that. But I’ve been hopeless before about stuff. This isn’t one of those things. I’ve got a good feeling, you know? Like, we’re pretty much screwed but if we pull it off we could change everything.”

“And what happens if we win? What comes next?”

“I dunno. At least then we’ll have help from everyone else in the world.”

Zuko took a deep breath. “Agni, I hope you’re right. I’m just terrified.”

“I get it. Change is scary, even good change. Having the peace of a bunch of nations on shoulders is heavy.”

“Not helping.”

“Look, Zuko, your shoulders aren’t the only ones carrying the weight. I’ve been told you’ve gotten your little guards on board. Suki’s coming, and you know that girl can handle anything. Aang is the actual avatar, he’s used to it. Katara, even pregnant, is always ready to kick ass and take names. And Sokka? Oh, boy, is he gonna fight for this until he gets what he wants.” Toph cracked a smile.

Zuko’s lips curled slightly and against his will. “What about you, hotshot?”

“Me?” Toph chuckled. “I’m the greatest earthbender in the world. I can handle it.”

“Right.” Zuko said. “So I’m the little weakling.”

“Shut up, Zuko. I could go on and on with all sorts of flattery but it won’t matter. You’re a part of our team. We got your back, even if you were weak. But you’re not. You make us stronger.”

Zuko’s cheeks warmed. “Thanks.”

“What are you gonna do about Sokka?” Toph said, an eyebrow raised. 

“What is there to do?” Zuko groaned. “He probably hates me now. I wouldn’t be shocked if he wants nothing to do with me.”

Toph snorted. “Oh, please, Sokka doesn’t give up that easy. You know that.”

“We just so many things to each other—”

“Then say something different. You care about Sokka?”

“Yes.”

“Do you love him?”

Zuko hesitated. “Yes.” He whispered.

“Then _do something about it_.” Toph gently punched Zuko’s leg. “Do something to make life better for your people and do something to make your life better for yourself. You’re tired of things not going your way? Then fight to make them go your way. You’re a damn prince.”

Zuko knew she was right. He glanced out the window to see a blue speck wander back towards the castle. He figured it was Azula, coming back after possibly storming out. He glanced across the room and saw his ceremonial robes for the next day draped across the chest in a tapestry of blue, silver, red, and gold. Sokka’s lay next to them. The red betrothal necklace lay motionless in the middle. Zuko felt his hand shift to his pocket, where the carving of the misshapen turtle duck stayed. His fingers brushed over the surface. 

“Do you know where Sokka might be?” Zuko asked.

“He just said he was going out. I can’t feel him this far away.” Toph said. “You can figure it out.”

“Yeah? How do you know?”

“You’re both so dramatic. He’s probably in some spot that’s meaningful to both of you, brooding. Now, go make up and kiss or whatever, I’m tired.” Toph chuckled.

“You’re letting me go alone?”

“Don’t tell anyone, I don’t want your scary sister burning me alive or your military boyfriend beating me up.”

“Ha, ha, very funny.” Zuko chuckled sarcastically, wrapping himself in a warm coat. “Thanks, Toph.”

“You’re welcome, Sparky.” Toph smiled. “Go already.”

Zuko found himself running into the dark tundra faster than his legs could carry. The small flame in his palm was flickering with the wind, but remained to light the way. The wind bit at his ears and nose and cheeks but he didn’t even care. He was tired of running away from things. Now, he needed to run towards the only person he wanted to see. Maybe he’d be mad, maybe he wouldn’t be, but that didn’t matter. He passed mountains and dunes of snow, hearing the occasional lowing of a polar bear dog or clucking of a wild arctic hen. He continued to run to Polar Bear Dog Bay. One of the first things Sokka showed him when he first came to the South Pole. He knew for sure Sokka had to be there. He worried about seeing his face again. Would it be full of hurt? Pain? He wasn’t sure, but he knew he just needed to see him again. 

Zuko was right. There he was, sitting on a ledge, only illuminated by the moon. Sokka turned around. For a moment, Zuko thought he saw relief in his eyes. He still couldn’t tell.

“Uh, hi.” Sokka said sheepishly.

“Hi.” Zuko breathed. “I’m sorry.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> short? yup. will the next one be longer? who knows. 
> 
> thanks as always for reading, kids. please leave me some nice comments, i am desperate need of them rn. kudos and bookmarks are always appreciated. much love <3


	19. the prince says sorry

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> hiya everyone!  
> long time no see (no read?? idk). first and foremost, i want to apologize for being absent for so long. im so grateful so many of you are invested in this story and what comes next, so if you're still sticking around after i drummed up this silly little idea when i had my wisdom teeth taken it out in july—thank you. i feel like i owe you a little life update so here it is:
> 
> 1\. after several breakdowns, panic attacks, fits of rage, and bouts of procrastination, i finally finished my first semester of university one week ago today! the last time i checked in with yall i was having some serious trouble (thank you for the advice and well-wishes btw) but i got back on track and ended the semester with a 3.86 gpa and the highest grades i've ever had. while i do feel bad for leaving this story un-updated for nearly 4 months, i definitely needed to take a step back and focus on my studies. 
> 
> 2\. my mental health was in the shitter from the months of august to now, mostly because i was stuck at home instead of at school and the suburban town i live in is as suffocating as ever. personal life things went bad, friendship things went bad. lots went bad. but i'm doing better as of now, thanks to my support system and incoming life changes.
> 
> 3\. speaking of life changes, i auditioned for my school's dance team and (shockingly) got on! i haven't danced competitively in nearly 4 years bc of an injury but it feels so good to be back doing what i love. 
> 
> 4\. another life change: i am actually moving out (for reals this time) in just a few weeks! i definitely think the change of scenery will bring that writing inspo and energy i need, plus i have lots of vacation time! 
> 
> i think that's everything! now that you know many things about me that i probably shouldn't share on the internet, you can read the stupid chapter. i'm hoping it doesn't come across as too rushed. as always, your kudos and comments literally make my day. keep 'em coming. enjoy <3

Zuko felt like his stomach was about to leap out of his mouth, growing legs and wandering off into the freezing cold. He had just said the words he had wanted to say since he and Sokka got into a lengthy verbal beatdown, but no matter how hard he tried, no other words formed. His brain was a jumbled mess and his legs ached from running. His lungs were seemingly empty and the cold air bit at his nose like a turtle-duck.

_Why did you run here, dumbass?_ He thought to himself. He shook the thought out of his head.

“You were, uh, saying?” Sokka cleared his throat.

“Right.” Zuko began again. The words came out of his mouth faster than he could think. “I’m sorry. I’m so unbelievably beyond sorry that I said all those things to you, I didn’t mean it, I was just overwhelmed and terrified and angry. I’m sorry about how I acted this week and how—”

For the first time in a while, Sokka cracked a faint smile. Zuko swore his heart just stopped for a moment. He swore that he died, ascended to the heavens, and came back down before being smacked straight across the face. That’s what it felt like to see that smile again. Zuko’s anxiety got the best of him as the words continued to spill like vomit.

“Um, why are you smiling?” Zuko demanded. “I’m trying to be sincere here, asshole.”

Sokka raised an eyebrow. “Excuse me?”

“Wait, no. I’m sorry. Didn’t mean that either.”

Sokka clearly stifled a laugh.

“Sokka, I’m trying to apologize for being a raging dickhead, will you please stop laughing?” Zuko said, exasperated.

“Okay, I’m sorry, I know you’re trying to be genuine and everything,” Sokka smiled. “I just missed hearing your word vomits.”

Zuko frowed. “Huh?”

“Wait, ew, there was probably a much better way to say that,” the general continued. “I mean, I missed you and your rambling mouth that goes faster than that head of yours.”

“Really?” Zuko felt himself tearing up.

Sokka stood and embraced him. “Yeah, dummy.”

Zuko sniffled and it wasn’t because of the cold. “Oh, fuck me, why am I crying? This is embarrassing—”

“Shut up, princess.” Sokka shut him up with a kiss, clearly a little choked up as well. “I’m sorry too.”

“But—”

“Don’t ‘but’ me, Zuko.” Sokka suddenly got serious. “I said some cruel things. I wasn’t there for you when I should’ve been. And I am so sorry for that, I couldn’t even put it into words. I’ve missed you.”

“I’ve missed you too.” Zuko breathed into Sokka’s neck. “Granted, we saw each other two hours ago.”

“Yeah, and two hours ago we wanted to murder each other.” Sokka chuckled, sitting back down on the ledge. “Spirits, we wanted to murder each other for a whole week. But I’m grateful you came out here right now.”

“Thank Agni for Toph. She gives really good advice.” Zuko said quietly, taking Sokka’s hand into his own on the ledge. The heat from his hands and body spread, making the general relax.

Sokka looked confused. “Wait you talked to Toph?”

Zuko nodded.

“About your _feelings_?”

Another nod.

Sokka scoffed. “Okay, you definitely imagined that.”

“No, I did not!”

“Yes, you did to!” Sokka laughed. “We’re talking about the same Toph, right? The one who called my highest ranking colonel ‘the biggest pussy in the Southern Water Tribe’ because his fiancée left him and he cried during a strategy meeting?”

Zuko nodded again. “That’s her. She said we gotta face our problems like earthbenders.”

Sokka smiled. “Head on.”

“Yup.” The prince squeezed Sokka’s hand.

“I talked to your sister—”

“You _what_?” Zuko felt his stomach drop again. He heard her fighting with Mai and Ty Lee before his own fight, she certainly wasn’t in a great mood. Sure, she had made great strides but it still was never a good idea to talk to her when she was upset. After all these years, she still had the tendency to burn things (or worse—burn people).

“Yes, and before you freak out,” Sokka said, clearly sensing Zuko’s immediate (and warranted) panic. “She was actually pretty calm. We had a good talk.”

“Wow.” Zuko sighed. “Everyone’s full of surprises tonight, huh?”

Sokka laughed. “Yeah, I’m not in the mood for any more surprises.”

“Me neither.”

Then they were silent. They sat, hand in hand, gazing over the Southern sea glistening in the moonlight. Silver refractions bounced off the waves, the occasional seal disturbing the relatively calm waters. The air was colder than ever. Zuko let the heat from his bending warm him and Sokka, keeping them at a steady warm temperature while the winds of the night wiped snow off mountains and tore icicles off rocks with a quiet crash. It was almost perfect. Then, it began to snow. Zuko raised his free hand with a small flame, illuminating small snowflakes that gently fell onto the ice around them and melted around his palms. In the silence, he could hear the sound of the falling snow. It was so quiet, barely intelligible, but he could hear it. Now, it was perfect. Still, guilt clawed at his chest.

“Hey,” Zuko nudged Sokka. “Are we okay?”

Sokka sighed. “Yeah. I’m not magically un-mad about everything and sometimes I still wanna deck you in the face, but its whatever. I love you anyway.”

Zuko couldn’t help but let crack a surprised smile. In the moonlight, he saw Sokka’s face flush.

“I just said that out loud, didn’t I?” Sokka whispered.

Zuko nodded. “Yeah, you did.”

“Whoof.” Sokka breathed. “I feel itchy.”

“If it makes you feel any better, I feel itchy too.” Zuko swallowed.

Sokka paused. It was still processing, clearly. “I’m not sure I follow…”

“I mean, I love you too.” Zuko said quickly. “Woah, you’re right, this does feel itchy.”

Sokka placed a gentle kiss on Zuko’s right cheek. He reached across the prince’s face, drawing a finger over the scar that sprawled across Zuko’s eye and cheekbone.

“We should probably head back.” Sokka said. “No offense to your fire bending, but I’m cold as fuck and it’s only gonna get colder.”

“No offense taken, it’s cold.”

“Plus, we gotta get you all dressed up for a _proposal_ tomorrow.” Sokka smiled, though Zuko could tell he was trying to distract himself from how much he hated that sentence. Zuko couldn’t do that and made a face.

“Ew.” Zuko managed. That didn’t come out right.

“Don’t ‘ew’, that’s my sister you’re asking to marry!”

“I’d rather marry you.” Zuko muttered under his breath.

“Huh?” Sokka genuinly didn’t hear him. Or, at least that’s what Zuko hoped.

“Nothing.” Zuko said quickly. “Katara’s great and everything but honestly marrying her would be like marrying my sister. _Ew._ ”

Sokka shuddered. “Gross, don’t make me think of that.”

“Sorry.” Zuko chuckled.

“Wait, so that rumor that the Fire Nation royal family did a lil’ incest just a rumor?”

Zuko shuddered. “Oh, Agni, _ew_. I am not talking about this right now.”

“Reckon, with your nation’s past, your highness!” Sokka teased.

“Shut up.”

“Make me, oh, your excellency!”

“I will!” Zuko kissed him, both out of passion and out of genuine desire to get him to stop talking.

Sokka let out a dreamy laugh once Zuko pulled away. “Hmm.”

“Did it work?”

“Yup.”

Zuko smiled, taking Sokka’s hand again. “C’mon, you said it yourself. We got things to do.”

“Treaties to rewrite.” The general sighed.

“Marriages to avoid.” Zuko nodded. Agni, the thought of it all still terrified him. But for the first time in a week, he felt like it was going to be okay. Sure, he was proposing to his lover’s little sister come morning, but there were greater things at play. It would be like a performance.

Zuko’s mother always told him he’d make a good actor. He inherited the gene for the dramatic arts from her, she’d say. That’s all that the next morning would be anyway: a performance. He’d pretend and play dress up with a friend, pretend-playing house like children. All he had to do was make it all convincing. He smirked. He could do that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> yikes. its been a while, so i hope that was coherent. on to the proposal next. 
> 
> lots of writing to come, hopefully only a few more chapters.
> 
> as always, i would literally sell a kidney for a comment so please keep them coming. i love seeing you guys interact with this story.
> 
> lots of love and happy channukah <3

**Author's Note:**

> hope you liked this bc it took like 2 hours lmao. plz leave kudos and comments, and feel free to suggest things you maybe wanna see!


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